Double Lives
by LunaPendragon18
Summary: In the beginning they were just two teenagers, now they are heroes. This is how it how began, how a simple trip changed their lives forever. Join Marinette and Adrien as they fight to save Paris from Hawkmoth while juggling their peculiar double relationship between not only their real lives but between Ladybug and Chat Noir and can they survive the Darkness in their own hearts?
1. Chapter 1

"C'mon, Marinette! I want to sea the Mona Lisa before we go!" Yelled Alya pulling her best friend through the masses of trouirst that clogged the halls of the Louvre museum.

It was the Collège Françoise Dupont's yearly trip to the museum and being a collage that specialized in the arts it's to be expected to find them visiting one of the greatest art museums in the world. And, although they had seen the Mona Lisa more them then they would care to admit, it was still one of the highlights of their day.

"Slow down Alya!" half laughed, half panted Marinette. "She's not going any where!"

"But the museum is closing soon and we still need to see the new exhibit!"

"So let's go there and _then_ go see the Mona Lisa!"

"But it's the Mona Lisa I need to see it for my blog!"

"But Alya you used the Mona Lisa last time we visited!" whined Marinette planting her feet on the ground and bring both herself and her friend to a stop. "There's Adrien at the exhibit." She added sheepishly

Alya shook her head knowingly. "So that's why you want to go."

"No, no, no, no, no no!" Said Marinette shaking her head and waving her arms while turning slightly pink. "I'm really fascinated in the topic… the topic… erm" she faltered unable to remember the subject of the new exhibit.

"It's about Luck." Said Alya shaking her head again then, laughing, she hooked her arm with Marinette's and winking said. "Let's see how lucky you can get today, eh?"

Laughing the two girls maneuvered their way through the crowds to the now least crowded area of the museum.

A plaque with "The Lucky Symbolism" written in cursive stood outside a very small room . Paintings of rainbows and four leaf clovers and broken glass and ladders decorated the walls while other works of art stood illuminated in glass cases on pedestals across the room.

A small handful of people idly walked around it, vaguely interested in the exhibit itself. Marinette let go of her friend and practically jumping she scanned the room for a particular blond haired boy. Sure enough, there he was, standing before a particularly small glass case, half hidden under his dark blue hood.

"There he is. There he is. There he is." She quickly squeaked jumping up and down both out excitement and nervousness.

Alya put a hand on her shoulder. "Marinette breath! We've found him, why don't we casually go check out whatever he's seeing and then Pronto! Perfect conversation starter!"

"Oh Alya you actually think I'll manage to speak to him without blabbing?"

"No." said her friend shrugging. "But you're awesome, he'd be a fool not to realize that."

Marinette simpered before,the two girls made bee-line towards Adrein.

Adrien had his dark hood pulled over his head and pair of headphones in his ears. All day he had been hawked by Chloe and with his best friend, Nino, sick at home it had been a miracle how'd he had escaped that irritable girl's manicured grasp. He'd lost her somewhere near the sword of La Vallette and now he was stuck hiding out in what must have been the most mundane exhibit in the whole museum. For the last quarter of an hour he had stood there in front of a rather peculiar red and black pendant without really taking any notice of what he was seeing. He was more interested in listening to his music and staying away from Chloe.

His plan seemed to be working fine until he felt someone tap his shoulder. He sighed, Chloe had found him. Already with some irritated comment on the tip of his tongue he turned his head, music still blurting into his ears.

It was not Chloe.

Two girls from his class were standing behind him. One, the one who had taped his shoulder was the obsessed blogger, Alya. She was smiling at him from behind her camera phone, obviously filming. Behind her, stood Marinette she gave him a small smile and waved shyly. Her face was slightly pink. It must have been from the central heating, he concluded pulling his hood back and ruffling his hair slightly, it was so hot in there he could feel small beads of sweat on his forehead.

"Hey guys." He said giving them, what Marinette thought, a swoon worthy smile as he pulled out his headphones.

"Didn't hear us did you?" laughed Alya, still pointing her phone at him.

"Not at all." He laughed, relieved that neither girl was Chloe.

"So what you looking at so intensely?"

"Ah well…" Adrien faltered, he hadn't checked actually and hadn't been paying the artifact much attention.

Alya laughed again. "Not a clue? He reminds me of you, Marinette, during science lab."

"Hey!" protested Marinette speaking for the first time since meeting Adrein. If possible she turned even redder.

Rolling her eyes Alya pulled her nervous friend forward so she was standing beside Adrien while she herself walked around the pedestal to the front were a plaque stood.

Adrien had turned to look at the pendent with more interest. Marinette did the same, playing with her hands, unsure of what to tell him. The two looked at the strange pendant. It was strange square pendent with a spiral pattern. The spiral was a mixture of red and black spots and black and green stripes. It had quite a mesmerizing effect on Marinette and Adrien. It seemed to pulse with life, but they didn't think much of it, they were art students, it was an optical illusion.

Or so they thought.

Alya cleared her throat and started to read the detail from the plague.

"Although the 'Spiral of Luck', as the pendent was christened in the late 17th centaury, has been found mentioned in written records from ancient Egypt. Radioactive dating dates this peculiar work even further in the past, although an accurate year of creation has yet to be calculated. What makes 'The Spiral of Luck' such an interesting work is its accuracy in naming. Throughout the centuries it has passed from one notable hand to the other, each one accompanied by a particular concoction of good and bad luck. Records say that the famous Marie Antoinette was gifted this necklace a day prior to her infamous execution, while the unnamed peasant who relived her of it survived being shot twenty times in the chest. Miraculously each bullet ricocheted off his battered iron breastplate. Donated to the British museum after WW2, The Spiral of Luck continues to intrigue historians with it's mysteriously peculiar past."

Adrien gave a low whistle, unable to remove his gaze from the pendant. The lighting in the room was very strange, giving the pendant an alien glow.

"The Spiral of Luck eh? That's pretty cool." Said Marinette, she wanted to give Adrien a quick look, it isn't everyday that you stand, shoulders almost touching, next to the boy of your dreams. But she couldn't look away from the pendent, it kept on pulling her towards it. She felt a sudden urge to reach out and press her palm against the glass, wanting to grasp the pendant with her bare hand.

Then all of a sudden the ground began to shake violently beneath them.

"Earthquake!" yelled Adrien, pulling Marinette closer towards him as the lights flickered out and they were momentarily engulfed in the darkness. Screams filled the museum as the earth continued to shake.

The teenagers, at that moment, felt something, warm washing over them. Marinette suspected it was from standing so close to Adrien, she could hear his breathing he had pulled her so close to him. Adrien had suspected it was a good sign that the central heating was turning back on and so would the lights.

Then, as suddenly as it had started, everything stopped. The earth was still and the lights flickered back to life. Adrien, shakily, let go of Marinette and blinked against the light. Alya ran twords them, camera still filming to check if her friends were okay.

Adrien was still trying to readjust to the light but Marinette was more shocked with what she saw before her. Or, more accurately, what she didn't see before her.

The Spiral of luck had vanished.


	2. Chapter 2

It had gotten really late when the police said Mariette could go home. After hours of interrogation and checking them they had concluded that the Spiral of Luck had not been stolen by the three teenagers.

As is there was any doubt.

It had gotten so late that Alya had had to rush home to update her blog (the police had obviously confiscated her camera phone as evidence and she was on the brink of insanity without it) and his chauffer driven car had picked up Adrien. He had politely offered to give her a lift home but she declined, not wanting to bother him and actually looking forward to a calm walk in the frisk night air after the stuffiness of the police station. It was clear and the star were sparkling particularly brightly that night.

As she walked through the once busy streets of Paris Mariette's mind swirled. Who could have stolen the Spiral of luck in all that chaos and commotion? And who could have had the spontaneous idea of doing so? No one could have orchestrated an earthquake or its prediction so accurately. How had they managed to do so? The glass had not been broken or moved and none of the motion sensors (which were still operational during the black out) had been triggered. It was like it had just vanished.

And, swimming around her thoughts, making her giddy, was the memory of Adrien pulling her towards himself as if to protect her from the Earthquake. Each time she remembered it, the feel of his hands on her shoulders or the beat of his heart under her fingers as he pulled her towards her made her cheeks burn scarlet.

Her thoughts of Adrien were only broken when a peculiar red insect landed on her cold, clutched hands. She brought her stiff hand to eye level and squinting in the light of the streetlights she could just make out the red with black spots of a ladybug.

She laughed. "A ladybug." She whispered to the insect. "You know you are meant to bring good luck ,right? You're a bit late I've had quite a lucky day, considering. Unless of coarse, you've been following me around all day. If that's the case, thank you."

"You are aware you are talking to a bug, right?"

Mariette jumped, looking frantically around here. But she couldn't see anyone. She had almost arrived home and the streets seemed to be deserted except for herself.

"Who's there?" she whispered, feeling foolish, like one of those idiotic girls from horror movies.

"I am!" squealed the high pitched voice again but this time, out of the shadows like a drop of water seeping out of a tap, a little red and black thing appeared in front of Mariette.

Mariette screamed, her voice echoing in the night around her. She stumbled back trying to get away from the bizarre creature, falling over her own feet and landing on the cold pavement.

"Oh don't scream, please!" squealed the thing, zooming towards her but Mariette waved her arms in front of her as if swatting at an irritating fly.

"Stay away from me!" me shouted, but still the street remained deserted.

"Ok." Said the creature, its voice suddenly sounding quieter, disappointed even.

After a moment of trashing her arms around in silence, Mariette dropped her arms and opened her eyes. To her dismay, the little creature had seated itself on her knee, looking at her. Mariette wanted to scream again and swat it away but it looked so… sad... its big blue eyes were half closed and its two antennae like-things drooped sadly over its brow.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." It said in a small voice, looking down at its hands.

"W-what are you?" stammered Mariette trying to keep her voice level.

"I'm Tikki the Kwami." It said, still sounding sad.

"K-kwami?"

"Guardian spirit of the Miraculous."

"What are you talking about?" stammered Mariette shaking her head at the Kwami.

"Those earings you are holding? That's the Miraculous I protect."

"What eari-" Mariette didn't finish her sentence. As she looked down, to her amazement, where once the ladybug had peacefully stood now was a pair of red earrings.

"Eh?" was all she could manage to say as she lifted the earrings to eye level they were particularly warm to the touch.

"They are Miraculous." Repeated Tikki finally looking up at Mariette. "I was hoping you'd help me protect them."

"What in the world is a Miraculous?"

Tikki's antennae perked up in excitement. "You really want to know?"

But before she could say anything an unearthly erupted emitted itself from the city centre.

"Good night Alfred!" called Adrien as his chauffeur drove silently away into the night.

He dragged his feet behind him, unwilling to force himself into his home. It wasn't that he was scared of telling his dad what happened, he hadn't done anything wrong but he knew that the house would most likely be empty, that's what usually happened when he arrived home late, Natalie would have returned to her own home while father stayed late in his office near the centre of town.

"Meow."

Adrien looked up just as he was closing his mansion's gate to see a little black cat with bright green eyes sitting on his front porch.

"Hey." Said Adrien carefully walking towards the cat, trying not to spook it. His breath was coming out in clouds of hot air but the cat didn't move away as he reached out and patted it's head. It nuzzled him back fondly, purring in pleasure.

Adrien slowly sat down beside the cat, his back resting against the front door and continued to pat the cat's soft head, vaguely wondering how it had got in.

"Do you think we could go in now please? It's getting really cold."

"Whoa!" gasped Adrien blinking as something small and bat-like appeared in front of him. Had it spoken? He shook his head at the little black thing before him, he must have fallen a sleep.

"Can we go in please?" It repeated hovering closer towards his face. It looked more cat-like then bat-like. Now Adrien was 99% sure he must be hallucinating from the cold (was that even possible?) it had a large head and large bright green eyes with two pointed feline ears.

"What are you?" Asked Adrien, reaching out and poking the creature in it's oversized forehead. It felt warm to the touch , very realistic.

"Oi!" it said shakily regaining it's height. "Don't do that."

"Sorry." Said Adrien. Shrugging and looking sideways to were the cat had been only seconds ago a little silver ring lay on the ground. He picked it up curiously.

"Is this yours?" asked Adrien lifting it so it reflected the light.

"Well it's yours technically, I just guard it."

Adrien looked at it quizzically. "It's not mine. And rings aren't really my style..."

"Oh please stop talking. Please? If you want to stay outside in this cold, fine! But let me explain? The sooner I do, the sooner we can get inside and eat some cheese."

"Cheese?"

"Hush! Okay, so I am Plagg. I'm a spirit, cool huh? And my job is to protect that Miraculous in your hand."

"Miraculous?" whispered Adrien bringing the ring to eye level, it looked prety normal to him. " Protect it from what? Pawn dealers."

"Noooooooooooo." Said Plagg hovering up and down. "From Hawkemoth."

Adrien gave him a quizzical look. "I'll explain about him later. What's important is that the Miraculous is safe."

"Why?"

Suddenly the silence of the night was interrupted by a horrible crashing sound. Sirens erupted from somewhere within the city, waking up it's sleeping inhabitants.

"Wanna see?" asked Plagg with a mischievous grin.

 **HEY :D so that's chapter 2! I really hope you liked it I'll try and update as soon as possible. Reviews would be much appreciated and thanks so much for reading! Till next time!- LunaPendragon**


	3. Chapter 3

"Come out! Come out!" her voice was shrill and whiney like that of a very young girl. "I'm not tired yet! Everybody wakeup!"

And with a wave of her Lollipop, Princess caused all the lights in the street to rapidly increase their intensity. They had become so bright that steam erupted from the puddles below them, while other bulbs just exploded from the force. But Princess walked under them, her bunny slippers absorbing the heat and keeping her unharmed. She put the lollipop behind her ear and spun giddily.

"I love staying up late!" she squealed, causing more lights to explode.

"Now, now Princess." Said the voice in her head. "Find the Miraculous and then you can do what you please. They should be at the Louvre."

"In that boring place?" she whined, bouncing to a stop and waving happily up at the terrified city people.

"OK, how in the world did we just cross the city in two minutes?" Panted Marinette as she came to an unsteady stop on a rooftop. "And how did I get in this outfit?"

Gone were her jeans and t-shirt, ceremonially replaced by a strange black and red jumpsuit and mask. The mask seemed to have melded with her skin, making her unable to remove it or adjust it. She prayed it would come off eventually, she'd hate to have to explain that to her parents.

"It's the Miraculous." Whispered Tikki, her voice resonating from the red earrings she now wore.

"I swung here, like Tarzan, using a yo-yo." Said Marinette not reliving what she just did. "How is that even possible?"

"it's the Miraculous." Said a cool, strangely familiar voice.

Out of the shadows a tall boy in a black jumpsuit, mask and cat ears walked out of the shadows.

Marinette braced herself, putting her arms and legs in the fighting position she had often seen actors use on television. "Is he the one I have to fight?"

"No, he's one of us." Whispered Tikki.

For once Plagg had been one step ahead of Tikki, telling Adrien that this girl in black and red was here to help. Of coarse they had had a few moments delay for two reasons.

1) It had finally dawned on Adrien that this wasn't actually a dream. He had actually, somehow, managed to transform into this costume using the ring Plagg had give him and had somehow run across town in one minute.

 **2)** He couldn't keep his eyes off the girl who had appeared before him. She looked amazing and confident and could she look beautiful with a mask on? Just looking at her made him dizzy.

"Why hello there." Said Adrien walking up to the girl and, whilst taking her hand, kissing it.

He secretly scolded himself, he would never do this if it weren't for the mask. But, that was the fun of a mask, he didn't have to act like his normal self under it.

She rolled her eyes, stealing her had away from his gloved one and crossed her arms. "You have a Miraculous?"

"Apparently so."

"New at this?"

"Well… erm…"

The girl lifted her arms up in exasperation. "Great, I don't know what to do, he doesn't know what to do, Tikki what are we meant to do?"

"Yeah Plagg, what are we meant o do." Whispered Adrien looking down at the chaos Princess was causing below.

"Work as a team." Both Kwami said.

"What with him?"

"I can do that." Said Adrien walking up to her and extending a hand. "I'm…"

"Don't tell me your real name." said Marinette, folding her arms and shaking her head again, ignoring his extended hand. "I'm … erm … Ladybug."

"Ah ok…" said Adrien, not having expected this turn of events, he lifted is untaken hand to his hair and gave it a moment's thought.

"I'm Chat Noir."

"It seems we have to team up."

"And you make that sound like a bad thing." He laughed.

"Have you seen that thing down there causing havoc?"

'Actually I have.' He said, looking down at princess again. " It acts like a toddler."

"A toddler with sever anger issues."

"But we have to stop it."

"Apparently so."

"Do you know how to fight?"

That's when Chat Noir winked at the girl again and from his belt he pulled out a small silver rod.

She looked at him, unimpressed until he pressed some invisible button, causing the rod to expand almost to his full height. "I may have an idea."

Ladybug puffed out her cheeks. "And all I got was a yoyo."

"That's all you'll need " said Tikki. " The Miraculous gives you all the power and skills you'll need to protect it."

With a silent sigh she untied her yoyo and swung it in the air, narrowly missing bludgeoning Chat Noir with it.

"Hey!" he said dodging with his feline reflexes.

"Fine, let's see how we do."

"Yeah, how bad can it be?" said Chat Noir giving her his most dashing smile which Ladybug just ignored. She let her yoyo swing out ahead of her, tightly winding itself around a streetlight. With a running start she jumped and like a seasoned gymnast she swung herself to the ground below.

"She's amazing!" Noir Chat said dreamily.

"Adrien focus! You can crush on Ladybug later." Said Plagg.

"Right." Said Chat Noir shaking is head, leaping off the side of the building and gracefully landing on his feet, staff still in hand.

Their entrance hadn't gone unnoticed.

"Have you come to play?" asked Princess, turning her unnatural purple eyes towards them. Her long braided pigtails dragged behind her.

"It's time you stopped this." Called ladybug, yoyo in hand and feeling quite foolish with it.

"But I don't wan' too!" Princess protested, stomping her feet. Witch each stomp the earth shook, the windows shattered, showering the two teenagers with glass dust.

"Don't you think it's time you went to bad?" asked Chat Noir, shaking his head to get the glass out of his hair.

"I said I don't wont to!" Princess screeched, this time the ground shook so badly a nearby street lamp clasped. If it hadn't been for Ladybug pulling Chat Noir towards her with her yoyo it might have ended badly.

Instead, caught unaware he stumbled , almost falling over her.

"Sorry, my lady." Mocked Chat Noir, as he used ladybug's shoulder to steady himself.

She brushed his hands off and with a scowl said. "Don't call me that."

He gave her a lopsided smile. "What ever you say, my lady."

She groaned, walking past him.

Princess's eyes suddenly widened. "You two have the Miraculous things don't you! Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! He said I'd never have to go to bed early again if I gave them to him."

"Didn't you mother ever teach you to say please?" asked Chat Noir, walking up besides Ladybug. "And who is she talking about? Who wants to steal the Miraculous?"

"Hawkmoth." Said Plagg with a hiss. "This is _his_ doing."

Screaming Princess dashed towards them, her lollipop swinging from side to side.

"Marinette, destroy the lollypop. If you do she'll turn back to normal!" Said Tikki.

"But how am I meant to do that!" yelled Ladybug dodging the monstrous Princess' swinging lolypop.

"What?!" called Chat Noir, confused, also dodging Princess's attack.

"Destroy the lollipop!"

"But isn't that kind off immoral?"

"Just do it!"

"Fine." Murmured Chat Noir gracefully turning on his heels and running towards the screaming Princess. She swung her lollipop like a sword forcing Chat Noir to block it with his staff.

"Use your Ancient Power." Said Plagg.

"Huh?" said Chat Noir panting as he forced the girl back, she was way stronger then she looked.

"Yell Cataclysm! And see what happens… just make sure not to scratch you nose while you do it…"

Chat Noir bounced back and lifting one gloved hand over his head yelled "Cataclysm!"

A black glow surrounded his hand.

"What now?" he called not sure who'd answer.

"Destroy the Lollipop when you get the chance, okay?!" yelled Ladybug from somewhere.

Ladybug stood under the last remaining working light bulb.

She whistled to get Princess's attention and waved the spotted lollipop she had just summoned using 'Lucky Charm.' and called. "Hey! Do you want some sweets?"

Princess turned, her eyes widening as she saw the beautiful lollipop in Ladybug's hand, ten times larger then her own.

"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" screeched Princess running towards Ladybug.

In Princess's haste, she hadn't seen Ladybug's yoyo tied between the streetlight. She tripped, stumbling and wavering in her attempt to stay on her feet but, in doing so, princess sent the lollipop flying in the air.

Chat Noir, taking this advantage jumped into the air slicing the lollipop in half. The two pieces fell to the ground with an ominous clatter when a black moth emerged from the remains. Swiftly Ladybug untied her yoyo and threw it in the direction of the escaping moth, capturing it in an orb of golden light. After a few seconds the yoyo's glow faded, releasing a pure white moth.

"Well that was bizarre." Commented Chat Noir, looking down at his ring. Strangely it had beeped and two of the circles making up the paw print had vanished.

"You'll loose transformation when all the circles vanish." Commented Plagg.

"Your transformation is going tot wear off too?" commented Ladybug as she looked down at the red and black lollipop.

He shrugged. "The streets are deserted except for us, no harm done if we do."

"It's better if we keep our identities secret, even from each other." Said Ladybug throwing the lollipop up in the air. It erupted in a shower of gold sparkles, slowly fixing all that had been broken. Where Princess once lay, a small girl with dark locks slept soundly in her kitty themed onsie, shivering slightly from the cold.

"But that's so frustrating!" complained Chat Noir shaking his head. " I could actually know you."

"Trust me, we don't." said Ladybug as her earrings gave another ominous beep. She bent down and picked up the sleeping girl, she knew her, she had often babysat her during the weekends, her parents must be worried sick. "I'll take her home."

"Fine.' Said Chat Noir feeling exasperated as his ring beeped again. He extended his fist towards her. Ladybug looked at it with distaste. "At least fist bump me."

"Fine." She said bumping her knuckle with his own.

"Mission accomplished, my lady." He said, smiling. His smile was so genuine that she almost forgot to scold him and smiled up at him.

This was going to be an interesting team.

 **Hey :D so that's chapter 3! I really hope you guys are liking it, if you aren't feel free to tell me! Please review and thanks so much for reading. I'll try update soon - LunaPendragon**


	4. Chapter 4

"Marinette why didn't you want to tell him who you really are?" asked Tikki as the two made their slow, cold walk back home where, surely , her parents we worried sick.

Marinette rubbed her cold hands together, the minute the transformation had worn off, the cold and soreness hit her like a hundred buckets of ice. The transformation had worn off only moments before meeting Princess's home where she had been given to her worried parents

"Well,…erm… wouldn't it defeat the point if I did so?" she said, turning to the Kwami. "I don't know Chat Noir, I don't know if can trust him with my secret identity, yet."

"Well he seemed eager to tell you." squeaked Tikki. "You two are a team, you should trust each other and you know that. That's not why Marinette."

She sighed, smiling faintly. "It's like you know me almost as well as Alya."

"I can tell when something is wrong."

"Well… you've seen me."

"Yeah and you were brilliant at Ladybug, except for the name, that was a bit dull.'

"No, I mean, you know me… as me."

"And what is wrong with being Marinette?" Asked Tikki landing to sit on her shoulder, which still unnerved her slightly.

"I146.84'm not hero material! I'm a clutz and shy and gosh I can' even find the courage to talk to my crush! It would destroy Ladybug, if anyone found out I was her…"

"You're a afraid people wouldn't take you seriously anymore."

Marinette just nodded her head, stopping outside her house door, the lights were still on inside.

"They'd be foolish to think that." Sighed Tikki jumping into Marinette's bag. "But if that's what you believe I won't force you to do what you don't want to."

And with that Marinette knocked on her door to be instantly embraced by her worried parents, who had heard about the havoc Princess had caused at the centre over the radio.

Adrien walked into his silent house, straight into his bedroom knowing there was no one there to greet him.

"Not bad for a first time." Congratulated Plagg, landing with a light flop on Adrien's unmade bed. "You don't happen to have any cheese around, d'you?"

But Adrien wasn't listening. Throwing off his hoody so that he was now running around in a pale t-shirt he frantically reached for a pencil and paper.

Pulling out his chair he carefully began sketching.

"Plagg, who was that girl?"

"Weren't you listening? Her name is Ladybug."

"No, but I mean who is she really?" asked Adrien still carefully sketching with his pencil.

"Wow, you really fell for that chick hard, didn't you? Don't; you have loads of questions to ask me about what happened… And you are ignoring me aren't you?"

Adrien lowered his pencil and lifted the sketch to the light. It was an impressively accurate image of Ladybug's appearance. Well, art had always been his forte afterall so he wasn't surprised.

"Plagg she was amazing! Who do you think she is? Why didn't she want to tell me who she is? This is so frustrating! She could be someone I know!"

"She could also be ten years older then you and have a third eye hidden under her mask." Added Plagg quite seriously.

"But why wouldn't she want me to know who she is? I wouldn't have minded…" he said dreamily looking at the sketch.

"Maybe because she had just met you? She doesn't know you? She might not like you. the possibilities are limitless actually." said Plagg jumping off the bad and zooming around Adrien's head. "Do you have any cheese Adrien? I'm starving!"

"Oh, why wouldn't she like me?" Adrien said, carefully pinning the sketch to the corner of his cork board along with numerous other sketches and picture of his friends and family. Then turning and giving Plagg his most dashing smile . "My Lady Plagg, care for a late night snack before I plan on how to steal the heart of the mysterious Ladybug?"

The next morning, at school, Marinette was rudely woken during science class by Alya's frantic poking. She was exhausted, playing Ladybug the previous night had really knocked her out, especially after constantly reassuring her parents that she was fine and couldn't have phoned them because the police still had her phone confiscated.

"Did you see the news this morning."

Miranette shook her head, rubbing the drool off her cheek.

Alya rolled her eyes and forced her tablet into her best friend's face.

The latter blinked as a video of herself (as Ladybug) and Chat Noir fist bumping stared back at her. She hastily grabbed the tablet from ALya's grasp, had she figured it out?

"Wha!" squealed Marinette, rather loudly, causing the teacher to stop and scowl at Marientte, some of the students turned too. Adrien was not one of them, he was too busy leaning against the wall ,dozing near the front of the class, while Nino typed furiously besides him.

"Is there something bothering you Marinette?" said the teacher calmly, although still scowling at the girl.

"No Mrs, " said Marinette quickly waving her arms and head but Alya just piped in over her.

"I was showing her a video of what happened yesterday. "

Murmurs instantly erupted around the class, Nino nudged Adrien, who just continued to doze silently in his corner.

"Ah I expected that would cause some commotion." She said, her scowl softening to one of understanding. "Where you out at the time Marinette?"

Marinette nodded her head carefully, not sure where this was going.

"Omg did you see them?" Alya chirped in jumping out of her seat and setting her tablet on record. "Marinette anything to add about Spots and Cat?"

Marientt blinked again, still unsure how she had gotten into this situation, certain her face was turning a shade of pink, gratefully, however, from what she could see, Adrien was the sole face in the room not turned in her direction.

Still waving her arms she shook her head. "I didn't see much, honest! I was hiding out somewhere. At a safe distance!" she quickly added seeing Alya's worried look. "Those two masked guys were already there, the monster thing already beat so I really didn't see much." But then something dawned. "But I did hear something small. They were calling each other Ladybug and Chat Noir, not Spots and Cat."

It was at the mention of his name that Adrien finally jerked awake.

"Nino, what happened?" he whispered noticing how everyone was looking at Marinette.

"Marinette saw the masked dudes yesterday!" he whispered excitedly back. "She said their names were Ladybug and Chat Noir, isn't that awesome?"

Adrien curiously turned to face Marinette, a fact the latter didn't fail to notice, her face turning much redder and stammering that that was all she knew.

The teacher clapped her hands.

"Okay class, stop staring at Marinette and lets get back to chlorides."

All the class turned back to the board, Adrien didn't. he was Still looking at her curiously.

However, as the last bell rang that day and Marinette was packing away her books, relieved that no one seemed to realise that she was Ladybug and as Alya chatted idly away about their mysterious masked heroes Adrien walked up towards her causing Marinetter to almost drop her history book on her own toes.

"So you were really there?" asked Adrien searching his memory for any sign of Marientte during the fight. She must have been very well hidden and Adrien was kind of glad neither himself or lady bug had lsot their transformation in the street.

"S-sorry?" she stammered, unable to comprehend what Adrien was asking.

"Were you really near the fight last night?"

"Ah… well.. erm.. yeah." She finally spluttered out. "You weren't there right? I-I dint' see you anyway."

"Neh, was already home by then." He casually lied, giving Marinette a small smile which caused to her almost drop her text book again. Alya caught it just in time.

"Hey Adrien, what do you think of Paris' Ladybug and Chat Noir?" she asked, handing Marinette her book.

"They look pretty awesome." He said feigning ignorance. "That Chat Noir guy looks epic."

"R-really?" Spluttered Marinette, remembering the flirty cat from the previous night. "He didn't really seem like he knew what he was doing, Ladybug is way cooler."

 _If only you knew how right you are._ Thought Adrien, his thoughts wondering to the sketch of Ladybug he had drawn. How he wished he knew who she was.

"W-was that all you wanted to ask me?" stammered Marinette, looking disappointedly down at her feet.

"Ah…well… Oh! Do you have any idea when we'll be getting out phones back?"

"Hopefully by Friday." Chirped in Alya, helping to diffuse the awkwardness that was about to settle upon Marinette.

"Ah, thanks Alya."

"Hey Adrien, we better get going or we are going to be late for fencing!" Nino called from the door.

"Rigth, fencing." He mumbled under his breath, still sore from last night. " I'll be off then." He said giving both girls a smile and running to the door where Nino waited.

"Bye…" muttered Marinette, sighing as she let her waving hand fall.

This was one of the many reasons she didn't want people knowing she was Ladybug.

 **And that's another chapter! So sorry there isn't any action here but I thought it would be nice to see how our heroes reacted to their first day living a double life. Well… I hope you enjoyed, please tell me what you in the reviews. Thanks so much for reading, will update ASAP – LunaPendragon.**


	5. Chapter 5

It's been three months since that faithful day when Marinette and Adrien accepted their roles as Ladybug and Chat Noir, without the other knowing, of coarse. Since then, it seemed, that the number of Akuma attacks had increased. Stormy Weather, Lady Wi-Fi, Copycat, Evillustrator… all had threatened the streets of Paris, destroying the city in Hawkmoth's name in search of the Miraculous. However, each time, Ladybug and Chat Noir stopped them in their evil tracks. With each villain that fell Adiren's adoration of Ladybug grew while for Marinette, although her feelings for Adrien had not changed, her opinion of Chat Noir improved. However, to this very day (that day being Christmas Eve) their secret identities had successfully been kept a secret from everyone, that is, except Alya.

She didn't know it but the day she drew on that cat suit on the image of Adrien, she had been the closest person as yet to uncover his true identity. However, after much persuasion from Marinette, she discarded the idea. But the image still existed, somewhere on her phone, and it was this image that Chloé Bourgeois stumbled upon that Christmas eve. Alya had forgotted her phone in class (an incident so rare Alya would forever wonder how she had done so) and Chloe had picked it up just as the recess bell rang. It had been a particularly bad day for her, instead of shopping at the mall she had been forced to attend the last day of term which, for reasons Chloe could not comprehend, ended on Christmas eve.

Now do not think that Chloe had picked up Alya's phone with any pure intent. Upon recognizing it she immediately deduced it would be the best place to find embarrassing pictures if Marinette. Instead she found the edited photo of Adrien. At first she laughed , and laughed, and loudly mocked Alya even though no one was there to hear her. But as the initial humor of the image faded it slowly dawned on her that Adrien really did look a lot like Chat Noir. Chloe had met the hero numerous times, he never acted like the Adrien she knew but still… the image had planted a seed of doubt her mind and the more she looked at the image that seed of doubt germinated into a tree of certainty.

Adrien was Chat Noir.

Almost hungry for the opportunity to call out Adrien's bluff infront of the entire school she ran outside into the courtyard as fast as her pedicured feet would let her, Alya's phone still in hand. The courtyard outside had a beautiful layer of snow coating it. Students in their warmest clothing were scattered, most enjoying the frisk day, other making use of snow to pass the time. Adrien was one of these students. Wearing an immaculate white snow jacket , he was in the middle of a particularly frosty snowball fight with Nino and a few other teenagers from his class.

Leaning on a nearby tree was Marinette, dreamily looking at the golden haired boy as he elegantly dodged yet another snow ball to the face. Marinette was impressed at how good his reflexes were and wished she could vocally comment so to Alya but the latter had rushed back to class upon realizing thather beloved phone was missing.

Marinette and Adrien were so absorbed by the snowball fight that neither of them noticed Chloe until she was standing amongst the stunned snowball fighters.

"Chloe get out of the way!" an annoyed voice called. But Chloe just ignored him, keeping her mascara lined eyes soley only Adrien.

"Adrien Agreste you are Chat Noir, aren't you?"

"What?!" the crowd surrounding Adrien chorused.

Adrien was stunned. How had that just happened? How had Chloe figured it out? He had been so careful! Not even Ladybug had figured out who he was (although he highly doubted she tried) But how did Chloe from all people figure it out. Adrien tried to think of how to answer her, but he was stunned, not excepting such a spontaneous declaration from the girl.

The shocked silence was only finally interrupted by Marinette's laughter as she walked towards Chloe, tears streaming down her face.

"Are you being serious ,Chloe?" she asked wiping the tears away while still half laughing. "Adrien isn't Chat Noir. That's insane!"

"And why is that?" growled Chloe, her anger already rising.

"I've met Chat Noir. For Pete's sake even _you've_ met him. Their personalities are total opposites!" she said her laughter finally fading.

The crowd around Chloe, Marinette and Adrien mumbled their agreement, they had all seen or even spoken to Chat and could agree he was nothing like their cool Adrien.

Adrien, on the other hand, wasn't sure if he should be offended or grateful at Marinette's words for, in his mind, Chat Noir was the peak of coolness. He chose to take it as a compliment, especially of it meant his identity wasn't revealed.

"So how do you explain this!" Chloe growled, bringing Alya's phone forward but, before she could show the crowd the photo, Marinette swiped it from her grasp.

"Thief!" she accused. "This is Alya's phone."

"But I have proof on it!"

"Oh, are you talking about that picture Alya edited a few months ago?" Marinette said, realizing what was the source of this surely false accusation.

"He looks just like Chat Noir and I would bet my lucky earings that's why he hasn't proposed to me already!"

"W-what!" splattered Adrien, this conversation was one unpredictable turn after another.

"Don't act stupid," Said Chloe, rolling her eyes. "It's obvious Chat Noir likes Ladybug, if they aren't together already. That's the only explanation why my beauty and charm has never worked on you! You are too star struck by that little Ladybug to see me!"

"Chloe, you are jumping to conclusions!" Marinette almost yelled, wishing she could knock some sense into this stubborn girl. "Adrien is not Chat Noir! If you had seen _all_ of Alya's pictures, she even had an edited on of you as Ladybug and we all know you aren't her! As for Ladybug and Chat Noir's relationship, they aren't in _that_ type of one."

"And how would you know!?"

"Because I actually pay attention when they are busy saving us!"

"Adrien, you are Chat Noir, aren't you!?" Chloe ordered. "That's why you haven't fallen head over heals in love with me."

"I'm not Chat Noir." Adrien finally said, shaking his head. "To think you'd come up with such an outrageous excuse as to why I don't like you. It's because you are cold and heartless and enjoy making people suffer, Chloe. That's why."

Chloe shook her head, not believing her ears. "Ladybug has you under one of her spells!"

"Chloe, stop making excuses and just accept it." Adrien said, coolly. Sighing he turned his back on the girl and began to walk back to class only seconds before the end of recess bell rang. "Thanks for wasting our recess, Chloe."

The rest of the crowd slowly followed Adrien into class, even Sabrina, Chloe's closest friend, followed without a word. Marinette gave the blonde one last disgusted look before heading back to class to return her phone to her surely worried friend.

"This is all Ladybug's fault!" Chloe practically screeched as small flakes of snow began to fall from the sky. "Adrien is Chat Noir and it's because of that speckled insect he isn't mine."

"Such pure, ignorant rage." Hawkmoth murmured sensing Chloe's dark energy. "So beautiful that the girl that has caused so much darkness has had her own cold heart engulfed by it too."

He released an Akuma into the clouded sky of Paris and within minutes it had landed on one of Chloe's golden rings. Instantly dark red markings appeared upon her face.

"Exterminatra, do you wish to own that boy's heart solely to yourself? If you truly believe he is Chat Noir " (a fact Hawkmoth found difficult to belive. ) " Bring me Ladybug's Miraculous and his heart will be yours forever!"

That afternoon, as the white flakes of snow fell to the ground, Chloe emitted one of the evilest loughs ever to leave a human mouth. However, from the second she let the dark Akuma possess he, she was barely human.

Now she was Exterminatra.

 **And that's another chapter! I really hope you guys liked it! Tell me what you think, all reviews are welcome! Thanks so much for reading and I'll try update soon. Until next time. - LunaPendragon**


	6. Chapter 6

"Chloe had your phone," Marinette greeted, taking her seat besides Alya who looked stricken. Her face instantly lit up when Marintte slid the phone across the desk towards its owner's loving arms.

"Oh that thieving little minx!" swore Alya, caressing it's sleek frame.

"Caused some trouble too."

"Really?"

"Yep, she accused poor Adrien of be Chat Noir!"

"I knew it!" yelled Alya causing some students to turn and give her curious looks.

"Adrien is not Chat Noir," Marinette sighed, bringing out her history of art text-book.

"But why are you so against the idea?" Alya half-whispered as the teacher walked into class and everyone took their seats , except Chloe, who had yet to appear. "Both Adrien and Chat Noir are handsome and cool and he has a pretty awesome thing going on with Ladybug..."

"Nothing is going on between Chat Noir and Ladybug!" she scolded, getting annoyed by this misconception.

"If he is Chat that might explain why he has been ignoring your advances."

"Gosh, Alya! You are sounding like Chloe!"

It was while these two best friends argued and the class slowly returned to its monotonous ritual of listening and note taking that the dense, invisible gas began to diffuse across the school, filling every class, cupboard and cranny with it's nearly undetectable scent. Later on the students would say it smelt of nail polish remover. Later on it would be too late

This gas, which was fuelled by jealously and rage, would cause no harm to the students or faculty. Unless, of coarse, your alter-ego was Ladybug. Marinette was too preoccupied with her whispered argument with Alya to notice the gas, even if she had, it was already too late. Exterminatra's gas was especially manufactured to exterminate Paris' speckled heroine.

A shiver ran down Marinette's spine as goosebumps spread across her arms. It felt as if ice was being injected into her veins. She stopped mid argument, erupting in a fit of coughs.

"Are you alright?" asked Alya, concerned as the teacher had to pause her lecture due to Marinette's repetitive coughing.

"I don't know." Mumbled Marinette, closing her eyes and resting on the palm of her hand. She could feel her cheek burn against it. "I feel kind of funny."

"Is everything ok, Marinatte?" the teacher asked, giving the girl a concerned look. Slowly the students turned their heads in her direction. Even Adrien, who was silently still trying to understand how Chloe had discovered his secret identity, turned in Marinette's direction.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." She mumbled her eyes still fine.

"You don't look fine." Said the teacher, walking to Marinette and Alya's desk and placing the back of her hand on her revealed cheek.

"Oh my!" squeaked the teacher, pulling back her hand. "You are really burning up! You should go to the school nurse."

Marinette sighed.

"Ok." She mumbled finally opening her eyes and sitting up. She quickly packed up her things and rejecting Alya's offer to join her to the Nurse made he way towards the door.

Adrien didn't mean too but his gaze continued to follow Marinette as she made her way across the room. He had spoken to her numerous times as both himself and Chat Noir but he had never seen her in such a state, as if all the life had been sucked out of her. As she reached the door their gazes met. Although her cheeks flushed slightly upon realising her situation, something seemed off with Marinette. It wasn't the sickness, which in itself was weird. Barely 15 minutes ago she had been defending him against Chloe's accusation. It felt as if something dark had washed over her. Had Marinette been so mad at Chloe that she let an Akuma possess her?

Whatever the case, something was definitely wrong.

He should have offered to take her to the nurse. Maybe if he could talk to her the akuma wouldn't take root. But he hesitated. Marinette had made it clear she wasn't Chat's biggest fan, what was stopping her from having the same opinion of himself.

That was the reason Marinette Dupain-Cheng closed the door behind her and was left to walk on unsteady feet alone. She was feeling horrible, her own legs felt too heavy for her. He face felt so hot and flushed she deviated from her path to the nurse to that of an open window. The freezing, cold air, which was littered with still falling snowflakes, made feel her feel immensely better. That is, until she saw Exterminatra walking in the court below.

With each step she took, the beautiful white snow became black. Strangely she seemed to be wearing a near exact replica of her Ladybug costume however, instead of it was black and yellow and a whip was strapped around her waist. Thankfully she hadn't seen her yet, Exterminatra was looking intently at the school entrance.

Opening her bag Marinette coughed. "Tikki, _another one_ is attacking the school!"

"You are not turning into Ladybug in this state." Scolded the Kwami.

"But we've got to stop her!"

"Chat can do it."

"But he's not here!" she hissed frustrated. "He might come when it's too late."

Tikki sighed, "What would Paris do if they didn't have such a diligent hero?"

Rushing to a nearby, deserted classroom to transform Ladybug, she leaped out of the open window and gracefully landed on the soft snow below. Strangely, although she still felt flushed, she felt better upon putting on the costume.

"Don't you bad guys have anywhere else worth attacking then this school?"

Exterminatra turned, giving Ladybug one of her evilest smiles she'd ever seen, which also looked disturbingly similar.

"Ah Ladybug, I knew my gas would draw you out. Feeling a bit unwell were you? On the way to the Nurse when you spotted little old me? I thought you'd be lurking its corridors. Don't worry, it won't kill you," Exterminatra hissed, gleefully. "It will beat to just an inch of your life. I want to do the final honours myself."

"A bit of a brutal one aren't you?" laughed Ladybug feigning bravery, Exterminatra's comment about the gas had unnerved her, had she specifically been targeted and poisoned?

"All is fair in love and war, Ladybug. You stole my love, Adrien, so this means war!"

That's when it dawned on her.

This was Chloe!

Back in class, barely half a minute after the sick Marinette had left the class, Adrien quickly put up his hand and asked to be excused. However, when he finally emerged into the corridor the girl was nowhere to be seen.

"Check the nurse's office." Piped in Plagg, flying out of Adrien's office.

"But what if the Akuma already got her?" panted Adrien already dashing trough the corridors.

"Well, let's hope that didn't happen."

But when he arrived at the Nurse's office and found it empty, Adrien's unease intensified. Walking towards the closest window he pressed his forehead against its cold glass.

"This all my fault!" he mumbled to Plagg. "If I hadn't hesitated this wouldn't have happened! If I had somehow been more carful Chloe would not have realised who I am and Marientte wouldn't be in this situation."

"No, no Marinette is stronger then you think. Heck she would give even Ladybug a run for her money! She wouldn't let an Akuma take over her…"

But Adrien was not listening, he had just spotted Ladybug landing on the courtyard below where a black and yellow figure stood.

"Oh God, Marinette _has_ been akumatized!" he yelled, running into empty office and turning into Chat Noir.

"We've got to stop her." He told Plagg as he forced the window open and, with his feline reflexes, jumped out of the window and landed gracefully on his feet.

"Marinette!" he called running towards Ladybug who was swinging her yoyo in the air.

"Wha?" stammered Ladybug, stumbling and almost hitting herself with the yoyo.

"She's Marinette!" Panted Chat Noir, pointing at Exterminatra.

Ladybug coughed, rearranging her yoyo carefully, why would Chat think she was the Akuma's victim?

"That's not Marinette," Ladybug carefully said. "We've got another admirer."

"Of yours? Wow, my lady you sure are popular." Chat winked at her, which infuriated Exterminatra.

"Adrien!" she screeched. "What is it about this insect that you find so alluring?"

"Heh?" was what chat said but Adrien just stared at the villain.

This was Chloe!

 **And there you have it! Thanks so much for the reviews guys, it means so much to me that you're liking the story so far :D I hope it isn't going too slow or getting boring though. If it is, sorry! Thanks again for reading and please review :D Until next time- LunaPendragon**


	7. Chapter 7

Chat Noir shook his. "Why did she call me Adrien?"

"Oh, don't act dumb Adrien, or would you prefer it if I played along and called you Chat Noir?"

"Well that _is_ my name." shrugged Chat whirling his staff in the air. "Just don't wear it out Chloe."

"My name is Exterminatra."

"Whatever you say, Chloe."

"This is all _your_ fault." She screeched pointing a clawed finger at Ladybug, a giant black ring decorated it.

"How is this my fault?" Ladybug asked confused. "What did I do?"

"You cast a wicked spell on my beautiful Adrien! You unfairly stole his heart with your hideous spotted gloves."

"Just saying, you are wearing the same costume as me." Ladybug pointed out.

"But, My Lady, she is right about you stealing my heart." Said Chat, giving Ladybug a bashful smile and causing Ladybug to roll her eyes.

"How are you feeling precious Ladybug?" sneered Exterminatra. "Weren't feeling too well without your little Miraculous? Feeling a bit faint? A fever perhaps? Or what about a stubborn cough?"

"Well I'm feeling well enough to beat you." laughed Ladybug but Chloe's words got Adrien thinking. Exterminatra had somehow done something to make Ladybug, when in her secret identity, sick. An Akuma may not have possessed Marinette, but something dark had happened to her for sure. His eye momentarily fell on Ladybug, could Marinette be Ladybug?

Exterminatra waved her arms and still sneering said. "You'll be feeling a whole worse now. You'll be begging me to take your miraculous in no time."

Ladybug would have given her a snarky comeback but she was sent spiralling into a wall by some unseen force. She sloped to the ground like a ragdoll, her breathing already coming out in short, shallow breaths. Her head rang and she could feel something warm trickling from the back of her head.

"What did you do to my lady?!" shouted Chat Noir, pointing his staff at the spotted villain. The latter gave an echoing laugh followed by a seductive smile.

"Right now my little exterminating microbes are running trough her system giving me full control. Right now she can barely blink without me giving her permission to do so."

"But if you want my Miraculous don't I have to loose transformation." Groaned Ladybug, try to push herself up.

"Oh I assumed if I beat you hard enough you wouldn't have enough energy to keep your form." Laughed Exterminatra, waving her arms again.

Ladybug was roughly pushed against the building again causing the wall to groan under the immense force, a ladybug shaped dent permanently embedded upon it. With a humph Ladybug tumbled to the ground again, accompanied by a pain filled grunt. It was at this time that the first curious faces of wondering students began to appear in the windows of the higher floors.

"I won't let that happen!" yelled Chat charging at Exterminatra.

"Oh kitty, I'll steal your Miraculous soon enough, then you'd return to being my beloved Adrien." She said dodging and unfurling her whip, which Chat expertly dodged . Charging again he stabbed her in the side. She shrieked in outrage lashing with her whip at Chat, binding him with its tick chord. As a stinging pain shot across his body, his staff fell silently in the black snow below. Smiling she pulled him towards her until their faces were only inches apart.

"Oh my dear Adrien! maybe if you gave me a little kiss I'd let you go."

"Over my dead body." He spat, squirming against his restraints.

"What about over hers?" laughed Exterminatra, waving her free hand again.

Like a pipette, Ladybug rose into the air, her masked face contorted in pain with every motion she was forced to make. Then, like a child testing a new toy's limits, Ladybug's arms and legs were slowly pulled and twisted into unnatural angles. Ladybug bit her lip, she would not satisfy Chloe and let her hear her scream, but the pain was unbearable.

"Stop it!" yelled Chat struggling tenfold.

"Oh this will be all over soon." Laughed Exterminatra.

"Sooner then you'd think." He growled and than yelled. "Cataclysm!"

The whip fell in a black slurry at his feet as he picked up his staff and whacked Extermintra across the head with it.

Not expecting his sudden escape she lost concentration, causing Ladybug to fall in a unmoving heap on the ground below.

"Oh ? so kitty has some claws then?"

Chat Noir growled, pulling his staff apart he charged at the girl, stabbing and hitting her as best he could and, all the while, Ladybug lay, unmoving, on the ground, a thin layer of snow already covering her broken frame. For a second, as Exterminatra lashed out at him, causing five neat rips to appear on his sleeve, in Ladybug's place he imagined Marinette.

It was already hard enough seeing the girl he loved in such a state but the mere thought of that being Marinette filled him with an unexpected anger. The irony of it all was, like so many other times, Ladybug's identity continued to remain out of his reach. He could speculate that she was Marinette, but he could only ever know if the girl herself told him. But that would never stop him from being by her side.

All the while Chat Noir Miraculous began its countdown…

"Plagg." He panted as the fourth circle disappeared from his ring. "Where in the world is that Akuma?"

"If this is Chloe it's probably in something vain and materialistic."

Chat looked her up and down carefully while still attempting to dodge her attacks. "This is Chloe, all she is is vain and materialistic."

"Then something only Chloe would have."

That's when Chat noticed the ring on Exterminatra's finger.

"It must be that." He whispered running towards her again. He stabbed the villain in the stomach causing her to bend forward in pain then, with s much force as he could master he grabbed her arm and pulled of the giant black ring, crushing it under his heel.

A black Akuma butterfly emerged from the ring and slowly began to fly into the clouded sky. Chat Noir just let it go, unable to perform Miraculous Heal like Ladybug. With only seconds left in his transformation Chat Noir rushed to Ladybug's aid and carried her out of the schoolyard, away from the prying eyes of students and teachers and leaving an unconscious normalized Chloe in the snow.

Chat Noir had just turned the first corner as his ring gave one final beep and he was forced back into his normal clothing.

"Adrien, be careful she's going to see you." whispered Plagg zooming around the unconscious Ladybug.

"I don't care." He hissed, she felt so cold to the touch and she was just so still.

"Where are you going to take her?"

"To my father's office, it's probably empty to today."

And Adrien began to walk trough the empty streets of Paris with the girl of his dreams in his arms.

"C-chat?"

"My Lady, don't speak, please."

"B-but what happened?" she mumbled, Ladybug's head was pounding and she forced her eyes closed. Even opening them hurt too much. She felt cold, the cold breezes of December played across her face, causing her to turn and nuzzle Chat's chest. It was just cold but it felt so strange to be in Chat's arms, it felt so familiar and comfortable.

She could feel his chest rising and falling with each breath; his heart pounding under his clothing. How strange, his costume felt nothing like her Ladybug costume, it was thicker and warmer, like normal clothing.

"Oh I beat Exterminatra and showed her not to mess with us again."

"You lost your transformation because of me, didn't you." she mumbled into his shirt as realization dawned upon her.

He shrugged, careful not to drop her. "I'd do anything for you Ladybug."

And it was the truth. Adrien was carrying the girl of his dreams in his arms, all that separated them was a thin red and black mask. Although his curiosity still burned Adrien knew that whoever Ladybug really was behind that mask, if she really were Marinette or some total stranger, his feelings for her would not change.

Ever.

But Ladybug didn't hear him. She had lost consciousness but as her mind went blank once again she realised why she felt so comfortable, she had always though being held by Adrien would feel like this.

 **There you go! I know this was the shortest one so far but I hope you guys liked it and thanks so much for reading :D Please review, I love to hear from you guys, weather it be for better or for worse but I really hope you guys are liking the story so far. Well, that's it for now- LunaPendragon**


	8. Chapter 8

"Chat." Mumbled Marinette pulling the warm blanket over her head.

"Marinette, wake up! If we don't get going soon your parents will start worrying."

Her eyes shot open.

"Where am I?!" she whispered, wrapping the blanket closer around herself. She could feel it, the transformation had worn off. What if someone had seen her? What if someone knew who she was?

"I don't know." Answered the Kwami loudly hovering over Marinette's covered head. "But the coast looks clear."

Gingerly she uncovered her eyes, sure enough, except for Tikki, the room seemed empty. With a sigh she let the soft blanket fall to her waist.

"Where are we ?" asked Marinette again looking around, the walls were covered in file filled cabinets, a soft blue rug lay at her feet. Across from her, was a lavish white desk and arm chair with a window overlooking he river behind it. Marinette was sitting in a velvet navy blue sofa.

"I'm not sure." Said Tikki zooming over to the desk and carefully turning a small black frame around so that the picture was facing Marinette. She gasped. The image was of Adrien, a younger Adrien who had the broadest smile she had ever seen decorate his face. He was being embraced by a beautiful blond woman with eyes the same shade of emerald as the boy's. Marinette had never seen Adrien's mother but, if she ever had to imagine her, she was sure she'd look like the woman in the picture.

"Could we be in Adrien's father's Office?" murmured Marinette, carefully standing on the soft rug. She felt stiff and sore but it seemed as if she had made a truly Miraculous recovery. "Why would Chat Noir bring me here?"

She had barely finished the question didn't she step on the answer. It was a piece of embroidered paper and written in a rushed handwriting was the following.

 _"_ _Sorry I couldn't stay. Your transformation was wearing off and I don't think you wanted me seeing that. Don't worry about the office, Monsieur Agreste owed me one. The Kwami reassured me that the Miraculous would heal you, if you are reading this I guess he were right. The office door is locked so no one could have seen you without your mask, though I would recommend the window as your exit strategy. I'm so glad you're ok. Happy Christmas-_ _A A_ _Chat_ "

"You spoke to Chat?" asked Marinette vaguely remembering the journey here. Chat Noir had saved her but it had cost him loosing his transformation, thank goodness she had been unconscious for that bit.

"No, I didn't see Chat's secret identity."

"I wasn't asking that!" loudly whispered Marinette stuffing the note inside her bag as she walked towards the window. "Not much of a jump for ladybug, is it?"

Barely fifteen minutes later Marinette was running into her parent's closing bakery.

"Alya?!" she panted in surprised.

"Where have you been?' Alya scolded, folding her arms while her mother smiled in greeting.

"I went to the nurse's office, like I was meant to." Said Marinette smiling sheepishly.

"You weren't there when I went looking for you."

"That's because the nurse sent me home early."

"And you just arrived now?"

"I found that fresh air really helps!" she said, opening her arms and gesturing to herself. "As you can see, I'm loads better."

Alya rolled her eyes and punched her friend's shoulde. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"You and I both." She laughed.

"Were you there for Ladybug's and Chat Noir's battle?"

She nodded her head carefully. "Yeah, I heard it."

"It was pretty bad." Alya said, gloomily. "Ladybug got beat up pretty badly and Chat wasn't much better…"

"Was it that bad?"

"You can see it on my blog tonight." She said winking. "I just hope our heroes will be ok."

"I'm sure they will." Marinette said, rubbing the back of her now healed head.

Then Alya parted with a hug and a final Christmas greeting.

That evening Marinette and her family were meant to go over to her mother's brother's house for the countdown but they didn't argue when she asked if she could stay at home, claiming she wasn't feeling all there yet.

So, that evening, Marinette sat in her bad, her laptop on her knees and Tikki on her shoulders. They watched the video of that afternoon's battle, it looked a hundred time worse then Marinette imagined it would. She shuddered each time she saw herself being forced against the wall and she felt something like butterflies in her stomach as she saw Chat Noir carefully pick her up in his arms and carry her out of the video.

"Poor Chat." She mumbled into her hands when the video finally ended.

"You did put him in a troublesome situation"

"I wish I could thank him."

"Well, what's stopping you?"

Marinette gave the Kwami a quizzical look.

"Well," Tikki elaborated. "You're spending Christmas eve alone in your room. What's stopping you from going out there and telling him thanks?"

"The fact that I don't know how to find him?"

"Marinette! Don't you know you never find what you are looking for when you are looking for it?! Use your heart!"

"Do you really believe I can find him just by listening to my heart? Wouldn't that just lead me to Adrien?" she teased.

"You've got nothing to loose."

She was right about that. So for the third time that day Marinette transformed into Ladybug and using her trusty yoyo she swung trough the music filled streets of Paris. Music erupted from homes while carollers walked the snowy gardens. Christmas lights flickered around her but she had only one destination in mind- the Eifel Tower.

It had always astonished Marinette how such a colossal collage of metalwork could look so beautiful and that night, as if illuminated by a thousand fireflies, was no exception.

With only five minute to spare to midnight it was no surprise that no one was standing at the frosty top of the tower, except for one masked teenager.

The Eifel tower had always been one of Adrien's favourite places to visit when his father would fail to appear for an important event. Adrien would sit on a bench in the park below and look as the happy tourists walked past. Now, with Chat's skill, he sat on the top most tier of the tower looking down at the celebrating Parisians below. Even from this height, with the cold winds blowing, the music wafted up towards him. The sky was clear from all clouds now, he could see the stars shining.

"Chat Noir?"

He almost fell off the ledge with shock. That voice… it was so nice to hear it again.

"L-Ladybug?" He gasped as the spotted girl gracefully landed on the ledge besides him. "How did you find me?"

"A little Kwami gave me an idea." She laughed, sitting on the cold metal besides him, below them a flickering ferry boat made its slow progress along the river.

"How are you feeling?" he asked ,turning his bright green eyes in Ladybug's direction, she had always wondered if they were really that colour or was it just a trick of his mask?

"I'm okay now, thanks to you." she said smiling at him.

"Oh.. Well…" he stammered. "You would have done the same for me, we are a team after all."

With her face turning serious she took his hands in her own, forcing Chat to give her his undivided attention, which she already had, and looking into his eyes she said. "I'm being serious. Thank you Chat."

The latter could barely answer his heart was pounding so hard.

Smiling once again she released his hands and shuffled closer to his side so that now their shoulders were touching. Ladybug felt the urge to put her head on his shoulder especially as she recognised Ed Sheeran's 'Photograph' erupting from the boat. It was her favourite song, she always loved to close her eyes and let the music wash over her, but she didn't do either. Instead she turned to face him and smiling she said. "Happy Christmas Chat Noir."

In the light of the stars and the tower below Ladybug's eyes seemed to hold a whole galaxy within them, they were so magnificent.

"Happy Christmas, my Lady." He managed to murmur before he could really get lost in her eyes.

 **And that's another one! I hope you guys like it and it isn't getting too boring from the lack of action. Thanks so much for reading and feel free to leave a review (they are always welcome) until next time ;) – LunaPendragon.**


	9. Chapter 9

Now you would think that after star-gazing from the Eifel Tower that something may have happed between our two heroes but of coarse, if that were the case, this story wouldn't really be worth telling. Into the early hours of Christmas the two heroes parted ways to return to their relatively normal lives and, after that, life continued as always. School exams plagued the minds of both heroes and while Marinette continued to dream about Adrien the latter kept a careful eye on both Marinette and Ladybug, having yet to deuce whether they were the truly the same person or not.

Although much had happened since Christmas eve this story continues on the 15th February, a day after Valentine's and the untimely creation Dark Cupid. Having the power to turn love into hate Dark Cupid pitted the two teammates against each other until a kiss freed Chat Noir form the spell.

It would be this kiss, that like the image on Alya's phone( which she finally deleted) that would cause yet trouble for our heroes.

"Oh. My. God!" squealed Alya the next morning, jumping up and down in place in front of a confused Marinette.

"What happened? Did you reach the 1, 000, 000 viewers benchmark for your blog?" she joked

"Oh, I reached that ages ago. Can you belive they've finally made it official?"

"Who have made it official?" sighed Marinette taking her seat and looking up at her overexcited friend.

"Oh, don't you _ever_ read my blog? Ladybug and Chat Noir of course!"

"Oh for Pete's sake Alya, give it a rest those two are not together in 'that' sense." Scolded Marinette, why did everyone think she and Chat were an item?

"But yesterday Ladybug and Chat Noir kissed!" she squealed. "I got the whole thing recorded!"

"But that was to break Dark Cupids spell!" Marinette explained, sighing inwardly. She knew that kiss would cause trouble.

"But that the thing!" laughed ALya, roughly taking her seat besides Marinette. "To break such a spell you can't use any old kiss, it has to be true love! Or that how it's explained in the stories anyway."

A sinking feeling erupted in the pit of her stomach. What did Alya mean? No, she knew what she meant she just didn't want to believe it.

"So you are saying…" Marinette said carefully, "that Ladybug freed Chat Noir from the spell because… because.."

"She loves him!" squealed Alya saying what Miranette couldn't bring herself to.

"You two talking about LadyNoir?" piped in Nino taking his seat in front of the girls, accompanied by a rather distant looking Adrien. But he still gave Marientte a small smile when a worried looked crossed her face.

"LadyNoir?" asked Adrien coughing slightly as if he had not used his voice for several hours.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir's couple name." explained Nino.

Almost in sync Marinette and Adrien rolled their eyes and thought, how ridiculous did that sound?

"They aren't a couple." Sighed Adrien. " I don't even think they'll be on talking terms for a bit."

"And why's that?" Marinette asked, raising an eyebrow, why wouldn't she talk to Chat Noir? Although, admittedly, after what Alya said about the kiss would most probably make it awkward.

"Well I heard Chat said some pretty bad things to Ladybug yesterday."

"But Chatt Noir had been under Dark Cupid's spell, Ladybug knows that!"

"Still doesn't take back what he said." Adrien gloomy said.

"Trust me, we'll be seeing our heroic duo together again in no time."

"Of course" chirped in Nino, interrupting probably one of the longest conversations Adrien and Marinette ever had. "After that kiss? I wouldn't be surprised to see more from LadyNoir."

With an audible sigh Adrien slumped back into his chair and began to idly flip trough his Literature textbook.

Nino nudged him jokily. "Is all this gloom and doom about the anniversary tomorrow?"

 _The anniversary… how had he forgotten that?_

Now Adrien's head filled with hundreds of dark, gloomy clouds. How had he forgotten that tomorrow was the anniversary? He should never have forgotten.

"Anniversary?" asked Alya, playfully elbowing Marinette. "Have yourself a gift to buy for a special someone?"

But Adrien did not answer as he started scribbling in the margin of his book.

How could he have forgotten?

"Alya.." Nino's voice went down a few octaves upon realising the real gloom that had suddenly fallen over his friend. "It not one of _those_ anniversaries… it's been five year since Adrien's mother passed away."

"Oh." Was all Alya could manage, looking awkwardly down at her phone.

"We didn't know," Marinette whispered so Adrien couldn't hear them, remembering the picture of the smiling woman and boy she had seen in Monsieur Agreste's office so many month agoe. "What had happened?"

"Car crash." Nino said mournfully. "Adrien and his mother were in the car. It was a pretty bad storm… I don't think I need to explain what happened."

"That's horrible!" gasped Marinette, her eyes falling on the silent Adrien. Now she understood why she had never seen Adrien smile so broadly as he had done in that picture."

"Survivor's guilt!" bellowed the teacher, bringing Marinette back to reality. "It is a condition many war veterans suffered from where they constantly asked "Why did _I_ have to survive?"

"How appropriate." Thought Adrien as he continued with his sad sketches.

The next morning was a bright February Saturday. Like any other day Adrien woke up and went to breakfast alone but today he would be seeing his father, eventually. Like they had done every other year they would be going to visit his mother's grave together.

"Natalie, have you seen father?" Adrien had asked as the woman escorted him to the company car where the chauffeur was already waiting. "Your father had an urgent errand to run at the office, he will be meeting you there shortly."

Adrien just gave her a curt nod as he pulled his black hood over his head and stepped into the car.

"Don't worry Adrien." Plagg whispered so the driver couldn't hear him. "He'll come, you said he always comes."

But Adrien wasn't listening, the memory of that tragic night kept on replaying in his mind. He could still hear the wails of emergency sirens that had come too late, smell the static electricity of lighting in the air, see his mother smiling at him, saying everything will be okay as she took her final breath…

Adrien bought a small red rose from a vendor outside the cemetery and carefully placed it at the foot the headstone. It was very plane, made of white marble with a small grey angel sitting on top of it, it small legs forever frozen in a swinging motion, and, engraved with gold, there was written.

 _"_ _Marie Agreste, beloved wife, mother and friend. May she always look after you."_

Adrien had always wondered about the inscription, whose idea had it been to write it? but, of coarse, Father never answered Adrien's questions.

He was about to open his mouth and foolishly say something to the marble slab before him, no one was there, no one could tell him against it and it would be nice to talk to mum, even if she was only listening. But, as the first words were about to leave his lips he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Irritated he brought it out and read the simple clear, message that appeared.

 _"_ _Won't be able to make it. Will reschedule."_

Of coarse, it had been too much to hope that his father would come and share his grief with Adrien. But, what really bothered him and filled Adrien's stomach with tar what that last sentence. ' _Will reschedule_.' How could he _reschedule_? Mum didn't have some day-planner were she could tell them when to visit, today was the only right time to visit.

Marinette stood a row behind Adrien, watching as the boy fell to his knees at the foot of the tombstone. In her hands she held a giant bouquet of lilies, freshly picked from the park in front of her home. That morning, after gardening for these particular flowers she put on a little black dress and came to visit the cemetery arriving only seconds before Adrien received the message from his father. During the bus ride here Marinette had not felt giddy or nervous at the mere thought of being with Adrien, which was not the reason she had come today. No one should spend such a day alone. She had assumed Adrien's father would be with him but she had yet to see him, maybe he had wondered off to buy roses?

But as, in the morning light she could see tears running down the boy's face, she knew that something was wrong.

"Oh yes, such anger." Hissed Hawkmoth ,somewhere in the sewers of Paris. "Such a pure heart tainted by such a deliciously putrid emotion. You will serve me well Bad Luck."

 **(Cue evil dramatic music) Well I don't know about you, but things aren't looking so good for Adrien now are they? Thank so much for reading guys, it really means the world to me that you are liking the story** **J** **please feel free to leave a comment in the review section, I love to hear from you. Again, thanks so much for reading and I hope you are liking it (and it isn't getting too dull.) Well, until next time-LunaPendragon.**


	10. Chapter 10

The lilies seemed to fall in slow motion to Marinette's feet as she saw the small black butterfly land on the rose in front of Adrien.

"No!" she yelled, her voice echoing amongst the candles and tombstones, here feet pounding on the damp cobblestones. "Adrien!"

But Adrien wasn't hearing her, he was clutching the rose so firmly in his hand that small droplets of blood splattered the white marble.

"No." he murmured shaking as he heard Hawkmoth's voice inside his head.

"You want to make your father pay for forgetting this precious anniversary."

"No." he panted as he struggled with himself.

"Bad Luck, why do you argue with your own Darkness? Embrace it! You can have all you ever dreamed for, for a simple price that is."

" I will never work for you."

"You don't have much choice on the matter. You will thank me soon, the seed has already been planted."

So preoccupied with his own internal struggle he almost didn't feel the small hand that clasped his shoulder.

"Adrien, calm down! You can't let the Akuma take control!" begged Marinette it was unbearable to see him such obvious pain.

"I can't hold it back." he stammered still shivering and gripping the rose.

"You have you!" she practically yelled.

But Adrien knew he couldn't, he could feel the darkness surrounding him, gripping at his heart, soon it would engulf him and he would no longer be in control. With all the force he could manage he forced his head up so he was looking at Marinette. Her eyes were wide and on the verge of tears, the last time he had seen those eyes so wide they had been filled with stars.

Attempting a pathetic smile he pushed something into Marinette's hand.

"I'm counting on you, my lady." He weakly said, pushing her back so she was at a safer distance, then the Darkness engulfed him.

"Noooooo!" Marinette shouted, clutching the small item Adrien had forced into her grip. The spriral of Darkness was so thick she couldn't see Adrien hidden within it, his last words still echoing within her mind.

My lady… he had called her my lady.

No, it couldn't be…

But she still forced herself to look at the thing Adrien had pushed into her hands.

It was a ring.

If it was possible her eyes widened even more. She had denied it all these months, even now as the evidence threatened to overwhelm her, she could barely believe it. But as the Darkness slowly began to fade a strange feeling erupted in the pith her stomach.

Was it dread upon the realization the boy that infuriated her was the same boy she had fallen in love with.

No it wasn't that.

Relief, that was the word, but could that be? An overwhelming feeling that the boy she loved and the hero she had fallen in love with were one and the same person. When had that happened?

When had that cat entered her heart?

How?

"Chat Noir?" she whispered

"Adrien!" shrieked the unfamiliar voice of Plagg as he emerged from the ring, almost causing Marinette to drop it.

"Sorry." Said an eerie voice. "I go by the name Bad Luck."

The boy standing before them giving Marinette the same dashing smile Chat Noir had so often given her, that had so often caused her to roll her eyes and complain but it was not Chat Noir who stood before her. The Alkumatized teenager before them had dark green skin and bright, rose red hair. His clothing seemed to be made from entwined stems and leaves.

"I'd like my Miraculous back please. You have one of your own, don't you Ladybug?"

Marinette tightened her grip on the ring.

"Give back Adrien!" shrieked the black Kwami making as if about to charge at the boy but in a flash of red Tikki jumped in his way stopping his evident advance.

"Plagg!" she yelled, " _We_ can't do anything for him. We must keep the Miraculous safe, that our job!"

"But Adrien…?" whimpered the Kwami, his ears drooping.

" _You_ may not be able to help him." whispered Marinette putting the ring in her bag, careful not to loose, she'll have to return it to it's rightful owner once this is all over. "But Ladybug can get him back, that is _her_ job afterall."

"I'd like to see you try." Laughed Bad luck, placing his left hand on his right knuckle. With a sickening sound a ruby red thorn emerged from it and with out even a twitch he broke it off and held it in his hand like a sword.

"And I thought fighting against Alya was going to be problematic." Sighed Tikki, placing a calming hand on Plagg's small shoulder.

"Can you really do it?" sighed Plagg ,as he was momentarily blinded by the transformation light.

"It's my turn to protect him." Ladybug said, remembering the day Chat had saved her from Exterminatra, determination laced each of her words.

 **Hey… so that was extremely short but oh well, thought it would be the best place to stop. Hope you guys don't mind and are still enjoying the story :3 Feel free to review and thanks so much for reading :D –LunaPendragon.**


	11. Chapter 11

"Quite big words for such a _petite mademoiselle_ , right Marinette?" Bad Luck said coolly, each word dripping as if in poison, as he carelessly played with the thorn-sword. Its blade possessed a crimson sheen in the late morning sun.

"It's Ladybug." She corrected, taking a deep breath and trying to see the monster hidden behind Adrien's face. It was difficult, even with his green skin and red hair she could see him there, like an echo. It was the eyes, they were the same shade of emerald as Adrien's, only slightly lighter then Chat's. "Well you're one weed this _Mademoiselle_ won't mind picking."

"Careful," he sneered aiming the sword at her chest, " you better wear some gardening gloved 'cause it's not a rose without a couple of thorns."

Ladybug rolled her eyes. "Even possessed by an Akuma your puns are still horrible."

And she charged, running towards Bad Luck, her yoyo spinning in front of her like a near invisible shield.

"Oh, your tricks won't work on me. I was your love interest in this sotry, remember?" he laughed, sidestepping and using his sword to try and knock Ladybug off her feet. But, anticipating this counterattack, she jumped back but not before planting a solid kick in his cheek, causing his head to turn sharply sideways with a gruesome crack.

"Seems some of my tricks can still make an impact."

"Oh, do be careful." Sighed Bad Luck, using both hands he cracked his head back into its normal position, a small trickle of what looked like white blood tricked from his temple. "Don't want to damage this pretty face you like so much now, do we?"

"You're not Adrien!" yelled Ladybug, charging at the teenager again. This time, rather then dodging he forcefully pushed his sword trough the spinning yoyo. Instead of slicing the sword in half like Ladybug had expected, the indestructible yoyo string got entangled around the ragged blade, leaving Ladybug to pull and tug at is as Bad Luck, still holding the over sized thorn stood only inches in front of her. And evil grin spread across his face as he watched her struggle, then with a lurch forward he brought his face so close to hers she could feel his breath on her nose. "You sure I'm not him?"

What really forced her to abandon her yoyo and jump back was the fact that he had _changed_. For a few moments, Adrien's real face had replaced Bad Luck's- his pales skin, rosy cheeks and beautiful golden hair had returned. It was unnerving, watching the green return to Adrien's face and the red spread across his hair, it was like seeing a replay of the Akuma possessing him all over again.

"E-enough tricks, B-Bad Luck." Ladybug stammered, her heart pounding and her now yoyo free hands shaking slightly.

Bad Luck just looked at her yoyo with vague interest, watching it swing helplessly in the cool breeze.

"But tricks make the game more fun."

"It's not meant to be fun."

Bad Luck tilted his head as if confused. "If this wasn't fun, why would I be smiling?"

"That's just Hawkmoth influence. The Adrien I know wouldn't find this fun."

Laughing hysterically, Bad Luck took a wide step in her direction, swinging the thorn sideway in such a way that her entangled yoyo slammed her in the stomach causing her to bend over at the sudden pain.

"And how well does it seem, you know Adrien?" he asked, walking towards were she stood, bent over trying to catch the breath he had knocked out of her. "He kept his identity of being Chat Noir secret from you… did you even know his beloved mother had kicked the bucket right before his eyes? What _other_ secrets could he be keeping from you?"

Taking deep breaths she looked up at Bad Luck.

What other secrets could he be keeping from her?

No. She couldn't think like that.

With the hilt of his sword, Bad Luck knocked the underside of her chin upwards, causing Ladybug to fly into a near-by statue. It to crumbled under her force. Momentarily dazed, the only thing Ladybug could comprehend was the creepy, decapitated angel head that now rested on her stomach.

She shook her head trying to clear it. She couldn't let him get to her.

"What do you think is stronger?" he asked, as he casually walked across the pathway to where she carefully put down the angel head, its gaze looking slightly annoyed at the two of them. "A ladybug's good luck? Or a black cat's bad luck?"

"I won't need luck to beat you." She hissed, running towards him with her fist clenched. But, with lighting reflexes rivalling those of Chat Noir, he blocked her punch, gripping her clenched fist in his cold hand, his thumb tracing each joint of her knuckle as he looked at curiously.

"You have soft hand for a super hero."

"Stop making stupid comments."

"You don't like it?"

"It's infuriating and irritating"

"But that's what you loved so much about Chat Noir." He laughed, tightening his grip on her fist. A gasp of pain escaped her as she was forced to her knees as Bad Luck threatened to crush her hand within his. "You know, Marinette, I always wondered… do you mind if I ask you a question? Oh you're not really in a position to decline ." he laughed as Ladybug shot daggers with her eyes and, with a casual flick of his hands, the ivy that once surrounded the .now destroyed, angel statue began to grow and tightly wind itself around Ladybug' arm and legs like a cocoon. Her one free hand was still in Bad Luck deathly grasp. "Why do you act so shy and innocent in front of Adrien but, in front of Chat Noir or as ladybug, you become so confident and… feisty?"

"Bad Luck." Whispered the voice of Hawkmoth within his head. "Play with your pray after you have collected the Miraculous. After that, there is no protecting Ladybug from your heel."

"All work and no play makes Bad Luck a dull boy." He sang out loud, earning him a pain filled, confused look from Ladybug. He sighed, letting go of her arm so it stood there, awkwardly arched and extended, unable to be moved in any other position. "The Boss Man has put little old me on a tight leash." He told the struggling ladybug as he caressed her check causing sparks to spread across it. He distractedly pushed her hair behind her ear and seemed to momentarily admire the black and red earing she was wearing. "He said I can't continuing playing until I take these." He continued carefully unclasping one earring and then he other.

"No!" Ladybug shrieked as she lost her transformation, returning to her normal form. "Adrien, you cannot give them to Hawkmoth! You don't know what he's capable of!"

"And you do?" he asked marvelling at the little studs in the palm of his green hand. "We never understood why we fought against Hawkmoth, why those little Kwami chose two teenagers to do their dirty work."

"The only dirty work you're doing is Hawkmoth's!" Shrieked Marinette, still struggling. Then in a smaller voice she murmured. "Adrien, please! I know you are still there! If you can hear me, stop this. I know you are stronger then that Akuma. Please, Hawkmoth cannot have my Miraculous."

"I'll come back for mine later." He said, leaning in towards her and planting a soft kiss on her cheek. Then moving his green lips to her ear he whispered. "I'm sorry, my lady, but like I said, Adrien has left the buidling."

 **Hey guys, sorry for the delay but had been given so many assignments for over the weekend that the only time I could find to write was very late in the night. Well, I hope this chapter didn't fail to entertain, after the cliffhanger of the other chapter. Thanks so much for the reviews and for reading, I want you all to know it means the world to me that you are enjoying the story. Please, comments are always welcome and thanks for reading :D -LunaPendragon**


	12. Chapter 12

"Bad Luck, why didn't you collect the second Miraculous while you had that insect in your grasp?"

"Sheesh, relax old man." Sighed Bad Luck, from his perch on the Dupain-Cheng terrace, he looked up at the warm afternoon sun, letting it's soothing rays caress his skin. "I'll get the ring soon. Marinette is no match against me, especially now that I have her Miraculous." He laughed to himself as he felt the earrings in his pocket. He silently wondered why the Kwami that surly protected the artefact hadn't appeared yet. Probably it knew it wouldn't stand a chance against him without Marinette.

"This ignorance will cost you," hissed Hawkmoth inside Bad Luck's head.

"You'll have theboth Miraculoused by sunset." Smiled Bad luck looking at the busy street below him as he recognized the glistening, raven coloured pigtails of Marinette.

Marinette was still brushing of the soil as she walked into her parent's confectionary, grateful that her dress covered the worse of the bruises she had received from her fight.

"Marinette!" Exclaimed her mother as she saw her daughter's stricken state. "What happened? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. " she said wincing, as she waved off her mother's concern. "I tripped and landed in a particularly prickly bush. Got scratched up pretty badly."

"I can see that." Her mother said, concerned and taking a step towards her daughter, already half forgetting the costumer who still held his money in his outstretched hand.

"Don't worry mum." Marinette said, trying to smile. "They're only scratches. Stay here, the shop needs you. I can handle this."

Not given much of a choice, Marinette's mother reluctantly nodded her hand, finally accepting the customer's money as Marinette walked passed her and climbed the stairs into her room.

She instantly collapsed on her bed, groaning in pain.

"What are we going to do now?" she moaned into her pillow as Plagg erupted from her bag.

"Eat some cheese." He wisely answered.

"How will cheese get Adrien and Tikki back?"

"Well, it would make me feel better."

Marinette shot the Kwami a deadly look. "I guess I figured out who thought Chat how to be so annoying,"

"Hey! I'm as distressed as you are!"

"I can see that."

"It's called stress eating!"

With each joint screaming in pain, Marinette pushed herself into a sitting position, pulling her fleece blanket over her bare legs, it was getting chilly inside the room.

"Plagg, how are we going to get them back?"

Plagg sighed, and flopped onto her bed, nestling into the warm blanket.

"I don't know."

"Can I use Adrien's Miraculous to transform?"

"It's not that simple. Only those chosen my the Miraculous can use it's power."

"Don't you choose who gets the Miraculous?"

Plagg shook his head sadly. "I just help in the transformation."

Marinette puffed out her cheeks in frustration.

"So we are on our own."

"You don't happen to have a Scimitar, do you?"

"Why would I have a scimitar?"

"And old Ladybug could wield quite efficient." He said dreamily, remembering a time from long ago. "Do you have any weapons?"

"My parents work in a bakery. The only thing I might have is a rolling pin and a frying pan."

"That could work." He said brightening up.

"I'm not going to fight Bad Luck using a frying pan."

"Do you have anything else we could use?"

She sighed, forcing herself to stand up and climb down the stairs to the currently deserted kitchen, each step causing pain to spread across her limbs. She picked her father's flour covered rolling pan.

"This feels ridiculous."

"It looks pretty ridiculous too." Said a voice that caused ice to run trough her veins.

"Missed me?" asked Bad Luck as he jumped in form the open kitchen window.

"Back for more?" Marinette meekly said, pointing the rolling pin at Bad Luck, making him lough.

"I'm just back for the ring." He said lightly, sitting on the edge of the sink that stood under the window.

Marinette silently cursed.

Where was the ring?

She knew it wasn't on her, if it were Plagg would be pestering her this very moment.

It must still be in her room…

Bad Luck didn't seem to know that though.

"You want the ring?" she called, scared her parents would walk into the kitchen any second npw. "I want the rose."

She didn't need to beat Bad Luck, she just needed to destroy the Akuma.

"Oh, so that's the game you want to play?" he asked, smiling and extending his hand forwards, out of his sleeve a black rose slid out until it was so long he actually began leaning on it like a staff. "Let's see who will win this round."

"I'm not going to loose this time."

Still smiling, Bad Luck jumped to the ground and charged at Marinette, the latter blocking the attack just in time with the rolling pin.

"Oh, my lady." He whispered. "Do you remember what happened the last time we stood so close?"

And, in a blink of an eye, Marinette was looking back at Adrien's face, his gold hair reflecting the kitchen lights. She didn't even flinch this time as she kneed him in the stomach and, using her elbow, roughly pushed him back so that he was sent stumbling back into a trolley laden with freshly cleaned dishes. The pile of dishes collapsed sending each one clattering noisily onto the ground

"I remember." She assured Bad Luck, running towards him. "Wasn't going to fall for that again."

Quickly settling on his feet, Bad luck pulled the trolley in front of him, planning on halting Marinette's advance. But the girl continued to charge at him, forcing both Bad Luck and the trolley back, ramming the boy into the tiled wall.

"Oh it seems my lady has some claws after all." He panted as he tried to push the trolley away but Marinette had him pinned.

"Had to go sharpen them after before." She said, as she continued to push trolley, continuing to pin him against the wall. But the latter had other intentions as, with an almost wild aggression, he swung his stuff sideways, hitting Marinette in the head.

With her vision momentarily loosing focus, Marinette weekend her push on the trolley just enough for Bad Luck to squirm free. Still half dazed she raised the rolling pin in a defensive position.

"Why do you even bother fighting me Marinette? Unlike my foolish counterpart, I have no weaknesses. " he bellowed happily, opening his arms in triumph.

Panting, Marinette forced herself to think. He was right, id she didn't find Bad Luck's weaknesses soon he'll win on endurance alone. If only she was fighting Chat Noir, she knew she could win against him, easily.

Then it dawned on her. She _was_ fighting Chat Noir… sort off.

A little grin crossed Marinette's face.

She _knew_ what Chat Noir's biggest weakness was.

 **And there goes another chapter! I hope you guys liked it and now I have a question for you. By my calculations, I think the next chapter should be the last one. That was the original plan anyway, but now, and it's totally up to you guys, I wanted to ask, should I stop it with one final chapter? Or should I continue it a bit more? It's totally up to you guys. Either way, thanks so much for reading, reviews are always welcome ;) – LunaPendragon.**


	13. Chapter 13

Marinette manoeuvred her way across the kitchen, making sure Bad Luck was still on her tail. She had to get him out of the building before someone, mainly her parents, walked in and got hurt.

Anyway, for her plan to work, she'd need to be outside.

The plan… that was the only thing she could think of as she quickly scooped a stale piece of bread from the trash near the door.

This plan… it had too many uncontrollable variables. So many things go wrong. It was like throwing faith to the wind! The chances of it working were near non-existent but, then again, so had the chances of Adrien being Chat Noir...

So distracted with the idea that had formed in her head, Marinette almost ran out the front door…which would have led straight into the shop…and to her parents.

 _Through the back_ she thought making a wide turn. _Marinette do_ not _mess this up._

Bad Luck made an obviously bored yawn as he strolled after her. So bored was he with this now forced game, that he had retracted his sword, which had then crawled up his arm like a pet snack to strangely blossom out of the front of his shirt.

"Marinette if your plan is to _bore_ me to death, your plan is working perfectly." He grumbled, forcing the back door open again as he watched the girl narrowly miss being run over by a car as she crossed the road.

"C'mon Bad Luck!" she panted, trying to catch her breath from the pavement, her voce barely audible over the sea of traffic that separated them. In her now sweaty palm she could feel the old bread already flaking.

It had to survive until she arrived at the place… if it didn't …it would be game over for her… and Adrien.

Once Bad Luck took his first careless step onto the tarmac she sprinted trough the cast iron gate and into the park.

"You sure that's a good idea?" he called as a car screeched past him, narrowly missing him. "You do remember I can control plants right?"

He shrugged to himself as he followed the presumably desperate girl into the garden. It was surprisingly empty for a Saturday but, from the chiming of some distant bells, Bad Luck noted that it must be almost lunchtime. He idly wondered if he could steal a baguette from Marinette's confectionary on his way to Hawkmoth's lair, wherever that was.

There she was, standing in front of that hideous statue of Ladybug and chat Noir which had caused him quite some trouble few month back. As he looked at the girl, who stood there with her arms crossed, waiting, he couldn't help notice that he really was taller then her. He had been right to criticize CopyCat about that at the time.

"Took your time." She called, tapping her foot from the nerves. This plan had to work…

"I'm working on an empty stomach here."

"Shouldn't you be photosynthesising or something?"

Bad luck shrugged. "Doesn't seem to work that way. The sooner you give me the ring the sooner I can go get a bite to eat." He took a few more steps towards her, extending his arm, waiting for the Miraculous to make an appearance.

"Well why don't you have some bread?" she suddenly yelled, throwing the two handfuls of now crushed bread into Bad Luck's face. The latter just stopped as the shower of crumbs fell over him in a thick cloud. He knew she was desperate but Bad Luck had never thought the famous Ladybug would have to resort to assaulting him with breadcrumbs…

He blinked away the crumbs from his eyes and shook his head until a shower of flakes fell to the ground.

"Was that really necessary?" he spat, blowing dust out of his mouth.

A dark shadow fell over Marinette as she smiled and pointed to the sky. "I had to call reinforcement, somehow."

And she could have hoped for a better turnout! Pigeons from all across the park must have seen the delicious crumbs as Marinette had set them free into the air. The birds had swooped in all around them, forming a sea of black, white and grey around the lone islands that were Bad Luck and Marinette.

"P-pigeons?" almost squeaked Bad luck, taking a step back only to almost trip over a frantically packing bird. Another one made a swoop for his head, possibly thinking it was some very large berry. Bad Luck wanted to say something, to comment and complain about the stupidity of Marinette's desperate plan , when he suddenly erupted into a fit of sneezes.

"You may not be Chat Noir." Half laughed Marinette, walking over the pigeons that separated Bad Luck and herself. "But you are the same person, physically anyway, and, you may not know this, Chat and Adrien have an uncontrollable allergy to feathers."

Bad Luck wanted to narrow his eyes and growl in annoyance at the girl but he was too busy sneezing to even manage a coherent sentence.

"Do you need a tissue?" asked Marinette, feigning a small, innocent voice before she swiped his legs sideways, causing the still sneezing teenager to collapse into the feathery sea.

Marinette loomed over him with a triumphant smile. "It seems like your luck has finally run out."

And, bending over, she plucked the rose from his shirt and ripped it in half. The black butterfly emerged from it almost immediately and began to flutter away. Marinette sighed with frustration, without her Miraculous she couldn't do a thing about it.

But, she was more interested at the transformation that was happening in front of her. She watched as the green began to fade from Bad Luck's skin and strands of gold began to appear in his hair. In a swift cloud of purple smoke Bad Luck's strange attire was converted back into Adrien's black outfit and, in no time, where a sneezing Bad Luck once was, lay a sneezing Adrien.

Marinette happily extended her hand to him.

"Need a hand?"

Without a word Adrien accepted her offer and allowed her to pull him out of the ever growing sea of pigeons. And, the further she pulled him away the creatures, more his sneezing was replaced with awkward, sheepish shuffling.

"That was pretty bad, wasn't it?" she said, running his hair through his familiarly blond hair and looking down at his feet, not having the guts to look the girl in the eye.

"Yeah you make a pretty formidable bad guy." Admitted Marinette, crossing her arms. Her heart was racing from so many things but, the urge to stammer and blush and awkwardly gawk at the boy in front of her was momentarily forgotten. For now, she could pretend to be talking to Chat Noir, even though even that idea made her heart pound slightly harder.

"I'm sorry," He mumbled, miserably. "I caused you so much trouble! You must hate me! I wouldn't blame you if you never wanted to team…"

"BUT!" she interrupted, taking a step closer to Adrien and, with a slight tremble, she put two fingers under his chin and pushed his head up so he was looking at her as she spoke, "You make a better hero." She finished, smiling.

"Wait!" he said, a confused smile already erupting on his face. "You aren't mad at me?"

"Of coarse not!" She said lowering her hand from his chin. "You weren't in control. And anyway… I could never stay mad at you." she half mumbled, it was her turn to awkwardly look down and shuffle her feet.

But that last comment just flew over Adrien's head, he was so over joyed that Marinette was not mad at her(even though that didn't make him feel any less guilty).

His heart pounding, he pulled Marinette towards him into a tight embrace even, almost twirling her around in his relief, causing both himself and Marinette to giggle. He looked down at her face, he always wondered how Ladybug would look without her mask, and he never expected that it would be this radiate and full of life and happiness.

He smiled at her, at the girl who had stolen his heart without intending to. Who had stolen it with her spotted red gloves. Even if she didn't care the same way about him, at that moment, after the bizarre events that had just unfolded before him that day, he felt happy.

Marinette looked at his smiling face, seeing the broadest, most genuine smile to ever cross his face in five years. She laughed awkwardly as the closeness of the situation finally hit her.

"You owe me a pair of earrings, by the way." She joked, trying to prevent the blush from spreading across her cheeks.

 **And there you have it! Another one done! I had intended on making this the final chapter but, if you guys still want me too, I'm going t continue the story a little bit further :D (as long as it dosen't become logn and dull anyway) So! I hope you guys liked the chapter and thanks so much for reading it! Please know that comments and opinions are always welcome (and I take them very seriously). Please review and stay tuned for the next chapter ;) Thanks again!- LunaPendragon.**


	14. Chapter 14

Marinette was practically skipping she felt so giddy after, what had turned out to be, an amazing weekend. After the whole Bad Luck incident she had somehow spent most of the remaining time of the weekend with Adrien. The latter had been so determined to makeup for all the trouble he had caused her on Saturday that he insisted on helping her finish her Algebra homework, a topic she had, so far, been on the verge of failing.

She had never spent so much time alone with Adrien… well Tikki and Plagg had been with them … and technically she had been alone with Chat Noir for longer … and Adrien and Chat Noir were the same person so…..

Marinette shook her head, she still couldn't wrap her head around the whole thing, and there was just so much to take in.

"Marinett _what_ happened to you?" asked Alya looking at her friend quizically as Marinette practically floated the whole trip to school.

"Oh, nothing really." Lied Marinette, a sour feeling dampening her mood, she wished she could tell Alya everything but it was already bad enought that Adrien knew her secret identity. Then again, Adrien had seemed to have figured it out on his own, which Marinette had found very hard to believe, especially considering how she had never linked him and Chat Noir as the same person.

Alya gave Marinette a non-believing look as they walked up the front stairs of the school.

Marinette was about to say something when she noticed a too familiar glimpse of gold.

"Good Morning Marinette." Said Adrien walking up to her, Nino keeping in step with him.

"Oh, eh... Good morning Adrien." She half stammered, biting her lip. She didn't know how to act as her heart rate instantly increased. She felt the urge to speak as if he were simply Chat Noir but... this was _Adrien_.

"Hello Alya." Said Nino, acknowledging the other girl's presence becasue, to his surprise, Adrien seemed to have eyes only for Marinette this morning.

"You remembered to get the algebra homework, right?" he asked casually, giving her a near heart-stopping smile.

"O-of Coarse." She said, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms. "We worked on that for hours, I wouldn't forget it!"

"I want to see the teacher's face when he give you an A."

"He'll probably accuse me of cheating." Laughed Marinette.

"WAIT!" half yelled Alya, staring at Marinette with bewildered eyes. "We?"

"Yeah..." Marinette said sheepishly. "He kind-off helped me with my algebra homework yesterday."

"And you don't tell me?" She hissed, disapprovingly.

"Dude! That's why you cancelled our afternoon video game session yesterday?" scolded Nino.

"It was very unexpected, honest!" Marinette blurted out, waving her arms in front of her trying to disperse the scary look Alya was giving her.

Realizing the situation Marinette had fallen into Adrien attempted to intervene.

"Yeah... yeah, I was studying at the park near Marinette' house and at about lunch time I had gone to her parent's shop to buy something to eat and I sort of found her panicking amongst the macaroons about Algebra..." his voice trailed off hoping Alya and Nino would finish of the story themselves and be soothed by his explanation.

"So why didn't you call me?" scolded Alya, although most of the anger had already subsided from her voice.

"I know Sunday is family day at your house." Marinette quickly answered, feeling slightly more confident knowing that Adrien knew what was happening and was helping her. "I didn't want to bother you."

"or you didn't want me interrupting something, eh?" giggled Alya, winking at Marinette, causing the raven haired girl to instantly turn red in the face.

Not having gotten the hint Adrien just laughed and said. "Alya you are more then welcome to join us next time, seriously she needs more help then I can possibly give alone."

Marinette wanted to protest and say her marks weren't that bad but the words got stuck at the tip of her tongue, as she finally fully comprehended his words.

Next time...?

Of coarse, Alya didn't fail to notice this either.

"Next time?" she whispered to Marinette raising an eyebrow, a mischievous smile spread across her face.

"First time I heard of that." She admitted.

Before either of them could say anything more however the school doors behind them burst open, causing most of the extremely crowded halls to shift uncomfortably as they turned their heads in wonder at who was so eager to enter the school so early in the morning.

Who they saw at the door made Alya instantly reach for her phone and hit the record button.

Barely visible against the morning sun that shone behind her, a girl in bluish black latex jumpsuit stood with her arms on her hips. As she barged into the artificially illuminated halls, causing the crowd of students to part before her, Marinette could see that a strange helmet, the same colour as the jumpsuit, covered the majority of her face with a strange beak-like structure protruding from the nose of her eye shield. Although its glass was dimmed like those of sunglasses Marinette could just make out a pair of dark chestnut coloured eyes.

"HEY!" the new arrival yelled. No, she didn't yell, she spoke in just loud enough not be considered a whisper, but somehow the power of her voice spread across the halls, instantly silencing the chattering students and capturing everyone's attention. "I know that you two are out there, Ladybug and Chat Noir!"

Marinette and Adrien momentarily shared a worried look as whispered erupted around them. What was happening now?

"Don't worry, you don't need to make an appearance now." Continued the strange girl. "But I will expect to see the two of you tonight at 7pm at the place you defeated your first Akuma! My name is Raven and you better be ready to face my talons."

Then, just as suddenly as she appeared, Raven turned her back on the stunned crowd and spread her hands out. As if pulled by invisible chords a flap of strained material spread from each wrist to her hips and with a couple of fast steps she jumped off the first step. Marinette expected her fall and stumble down the stairs but, to her surprise, Raven, true to her name, continued to glide away from the school until she simply became a speck in the distance.

"Marinette." She heard Adrien whisper besides her, she could hear the warning in his voice.

"Yeah, I know. This must be a trap."

 **So there you have it! A new chapter in their lives has begun. I just wanted to make it clear that Marinette and Adrien do not know that they like each other yet… just thought I'd add that here just in case. Thanks again for reading and I really hope you liked the chapter** **J** **reviews are always welcome and thanks so much! -LunaPendragon**


	15. Chapter 15

_Yes… she could see them, like two unsuspecting insects waiting to plucked by her mighty beak._

 _But she had to be careful._

 _There was no room for failure, for morality, for a conscious. She had to play her part right. If she didn't he would hurt Eli._

 _Eli._

 _It was for him that she must wear a mask upon the mask._

 _Dooiing_

 _Dooiing._

 _The bells._

 _It was time for her entrance._

"Do you think we'll ever get a break?" sighed Chat Noir, leaning against a water tank in front of Ladybug. He vaguely noticed they were standing on the same roof they had first met on. It seemed to be so long ago now, so many things had happened. He was more interested at watching her pace in the moonlight.

"It's part of the job description." Laughed Ladybug looking down at the semi-busy street below them, people were making their way around the city wrapped in coats and hats, oblivious to the fact that their masked heroes were looking over them.

"But who was that Raven girl?" Chat asked watching Ladybug as she continues to pace nervously in front of him, her brow slightly creased with worry and concentration.

"Well the most obvious explanation is that she's a new victim possessed by one of Hawk Moth's Akuma." She answered, scanning their surrounding again. It was soon time.

"I sense a 'but' coming along." Joked Chat using his elbows to push himself of the tank and walked towards Ladybug.

"Why would he make such an obvious show of it at the school?" she asked him, turning to look at him. It was so strange, although she was looking at Chat Noir like she had done so many times before, she could now see more of Adrien there, more of him then the cat and it was so frustrating how her heart raced when she looked at him. She had a job to do. She had to focus.

"And we can't assume our identities are still secret from him." he added remembering seeing Marinette transform before his eyes when he was Bad Luck. "He could have attacked us at the school."

"That's why this has to be a trap." Ladybug said over the ringing of the bells. Chat was about to say something when he got a glimpse of reflected behind her.

"Watch out!" he called, pulling a stunned ladybug behind him as he raised his staff just in time to block the attack. The clang of metal against metal rang out in the sudden silence.

"You're quite fast, for a kitty cat." Grunted Raven as she planted her feet on the ground. The girl spoke in a heavy accent; French didn't seem to be her native language. Chat had to arch his back to face the girl. She was surprisingly shorter then expected.

"You're a bit young to be making threats don't you think?" Chat countered pushing the girl back, causing her to stager a few steps.

"That was still a close call." Whispered Ladybug, standing besides Chat and raising her yoyo in front of her. She eyed Raven's talons with distaste. She remembered reading about such a weapon for a history project once. They were called Tekko-Kagi, a form of knuckle blades that you wouldn't want to fist bump if you wanted to keep you hand attached to your wrist.

"What do you want?" Ladybug asked, taking a few cautious steps towards Raven, who had her fists held up in front of her.

"I've go a job to do." She shrieked, lurching at Ladybug. But the latter was prepared this time, she simply took a step sideways, causing the girl to slash at empty air.

"10 euros I bet the Akuma is inside one of those knuckle things," joked Chat, swinging his staff and causing Raven to jump back.

She hissed at him, so distracted by his comment she didn't see Ladybug's yoyo and tripped backwards.

 _She hated this._

 _She hated this so much._

 _She wished she could show these two ignorant teenagers her real skill._

 _But… that wouldn't be part of the plan._

 _She had to stick to the plan … for Eli._

"That was too easy." Said Ladybug, narrowing her eyes at Raven as she and Chat walked over to the fallen girl.

"C'mon my lady, with our teamwork the Akumas won't stand a chance." Laughed Chat.

"They can still give us a bit of a handful though." Ladybug answered seriously, remembering her failed battle with Bad Luck and how easily he had disarmed her.

Chat Noir gave her a sheepish smile, understanding who she was referring too.

"You two will never get away with this!" Growled Raven, jumping to her feet. "Any one who allows their hearts to be subdued by the darkness must be cleansed!"

"What _is_ she saying?" sighed Chat Noir, twirling his staff idly.

 _This was it. The moment she had been waiting for._

"Don't act dumb," Raven yelled… no it wasn't yelling, it was like before at the school, her voice was low but the power in it was real. Ladybug narrowed her eyes at the girl in mistrust. With such power in her voice you'd think such a girl would put up more of a fight. "I can sense it. One of you has succumbed to the darkness! You are possessed by a wretched Akuma and are doing Hawk Moth's bidding."

"Wrong tense." Sighed Chat. "Was possessed by and Akuma but, as you can see, I'm Akuma free now."

"I can still sense it." she murmured. "It still has its roots within you."

 _There. It was done._

An icy feeling ran down Chat's spine.

What was she saying?

Marinette had destroyed the cursed object. He was free from the Akuma.

He couldn't hear Hawk Moth's voice inside his head.

He was free from him.

Right?

"She's saying nonsense Chat." Hissed Marinette. "What do you really want Raven? How did you know about us and where to find us? Did Hawk Moth send you?"

"What!" the girl spat. "It's you two who follow that fiend."

"Wait." Interrupted Chat, shaking off the horrid feeling that had begun to drip into his veins. "You don't work for Hawk Moth?"

"Of coarse not!"

"And we definitely do not."

"Chat Noir you can't possible believe that this was all because of some misunderstanding!" gasped Ladybug, not believing where this conversation was heading.

"c'mon my lady, just look at her." Said Chat, gesturing to the young girl, who was slowly retreating from them. "She must be one of us, a Miraculous holder. We thought she was an Akuma victim, she thought were Akuma victims. It has to be a misunderstanding."

Ladybug sent her yoyo flying, wrapping it around Raven's wrist, forcing her to stop her retreat, hindering all escape.

"Your accent isn't Parisian." Interrogated Ladybug. "From where are you? Why are you here? You have 1 minute to convince us you aren't working for Hawk Moth."

"I would never work for him."

"Then answer my questions."

Raven gave a low hiss before answering. "I come from the east, northern Italy if you must know. I was blessed by the Raven's Chain to protect it from Hawk Moth's grasp. It's a Miraculous, in your language. I received this gift about a year ago when Hawk Moth began terrorizing my village in search for the Chain. I followed him here only recently upon hearing news of a similar tragedy befalling Paris."

"How did you know where to find us?"

"I did my research. Most of the Akuma fights happened in the school's vicinity. It was an intelligent guess."

"But that means you know we don't work for Hawk Moth! Why would you challenge us to a fight?"

"I already told you! I could sense the darkness within you." at this Raven promptly turned her gaze towards Chat. Although obviously younger Chat could almost feel those dark eyes drilling into him, seeing this darkness she spoke of.

Ladybug, although still unconvinced by what Raven said, tugged at her yoyo, releasing the girl from her restraints.

"I think we should talk properly."

 _The plan is going just as expected._

 _The seed has been planted._

 **So that's another one! So what do you guys think of Raven? Thought she was a cool idea because of the whole bad luck thing. I really hope the story hasn't gotten boring but, even if it has, thanks so much for reading! Remember reviews and comments are always welcome! I'll try and update soon and thanks so much for reading! -LunaPendragon**


	16. Chapter 16

"That little girl got you thinking about me, isn't that sweet?" Laughed Bad Luck, leaning back on the red velvet couch.

Adrien placed his elbows on his knees and put his head in his hands, the stool he sat in rocked slightly.

"This has to be a dream. This has got to be all in my head." He whispered, pinching his cheeks, wiling himself to wake up.

"Of coarse this is all in your head," laughed Bad Luck. "But why should that make this any less real?"

"So you're quoting Harry Potter to me now?"

"That's besides the point." Bad luck said waving away the comment. "The fact that I'm still here means you haven't let me go yet."

"And how can I do that? The Akuma is already gone."

"Why Adrien, I'm you. I'm the darkness that's always been in your heart. I just have a more handsome visage now."

"I'm not you." Adrien promptly countered, looking up at Bad Luck.

"Ah but I am you." Bad Luck said as a malicious smile spread across his face. Then, as if looking at some invisible watch on his wrist he continued. "You better wake up Adrien or we'll be late to meet the lovely Marinette."

Adrein's eyes flashed open as sweat trickled down his face, causing his hair to stick to the side of his head. His breathing was coming out fast and shallow.

"Were you running a marathon in your dreams?" laughed Plagg, floating over the panicked boy. He could still hear Bad Luck's voice in his head... or was that just his own?

He raised his palm to the light- not a trace of green good be seen. He sighed, thankful that it was, truly, just a dream as he slid out off bed and went to the bathroom to wash his face. He splashed a handful of water onto his face, enjoying its coldness as it brought him to the waking world.

Sighing, having finally got his breath back, he looked up and he was forced to take a shaken step backwards. It wasn't much, just a few strands of hair near his temple, but, sure as the night follows the day, they were red.

"Adrien!" yelled Plagg, causing Adrien to drop a couple of shampoo bottles with his elbows in shock.

"What is it now, Plagg?"

"All alright, Adrien? You're looking a bit green."

"That better be a joke."

"Relax. Thought you'd like to know you got a text from your darling Marinette."

Adrien ran out, excitement and fear making an unpleasant mixture inside his stomach.

 _Good morning Adrien. It's marinette, but u already knew that from the caller id. Well I did a bit of research last night. Meet you near the piazza before school? 7:30 okay with u?_

'Sure. See you soon.' He texted back, hurriedly changing out of his pyjamas, constantly glancing in the mirror like a narcissistic fool. What was going on with him?

The red hairs had vanished.

"Oh stop acting so nervous," chirped Tikki sitting on Marinette shoulder as she played with her hands nervously. "You finally asked Adrien to hang put!"

"But only because of Miraculous related stuff!" she hissed back, looking around. No one was paying them any attention. The only person in the plaza, except an old street cleaner, was a young girl who sat on a bench on the side where Tikki couldn't be seen. The little girl, who couldn't have been older then thirteen had her nose in a book whose title seemed to be in another language. She was wearing a dark blue dress, knee length white socks and a small white bow hung loosely around her neck. Her dark hair, which was almost the same shade of brown as her eyes, framed her tanned face. She had no school bag, which Marinette found quite strange. "This isn't what I'd call hanging out."

"Oh c'mon, Marinette. You've been dreaming of this day for ages."

"But not like this! And, technically, I've hung out with Adrien dozens of times."

"As chat Noir doesn't count."

"That would have made life so much simpler."

"And why is that?"

Marinette sighed, resting her chin in her palms, as she looked up at the beautiful orange sky. "Chat Noir had an obvious crush on Ladybug, and Chat Noir and Adrien are the same person meaning even he had a crush on Ladybug."

"So that means he likes you."

"No, he likes Ladybug."

"You _are_ Ladybug, Marinette."

"But what if I've disappointed him? What if I wasn't what he expected?"

Before Tikki could voice her disagreement, Marinette perked her head up, her cheeks blushing as she heard Adrien calling her name over the silent plaza.

Marinette waved her hand in the air, as the boy walked in her direction. Marinette was acutely aware that the girl had momentarily raised her gaze from her book to give Marinette a sour look.

"Good morning Marinette." Greeted Adrien smiling, and taking a seat beside her. Plagg flew out of his pocket, almost colliding with an unsuspecting Tikki.

"Oh… G-good morning Adrien." She half stammered, scolding herself internally.

"So, you managed to scoop some dirt on our rebellious Raven?" he asked, turning to face her, her face was flushed a pale pink from the morning chill and the sun's rising rays.

"Well, it seems most of her story checks out." Marinette began to explain, breaking the gaze she didn't know she had been keeping as she pulled out a small pile of papers from her back pack, the result of last night's research.

"Most?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and shuffling closer so he could read what was printed on the papers, their shoulder touching where they sat.

"Yeah, it's true that the small city of Verona used to hold the Raven's Chain until about a year ago when it vanished under mysterious circumstances."

"Like our Spiral of Luck."

"Exactly, and the city did suffer from a number of attack by some superhumans who seemed to be controlled by some other being."

"So she was telling us the truth yesterday."

"But, what she didn't tell us was about the other hero."

"Other hero?"

"Yes." Sighed Marinette, bringing a particular paper to the top of the pile and showing the image printed upon it to Adrien. The image showed a badly damaged theatre with Raven standing in the centre of the chaos, slightly more beaten then she had yesterday but it was definitely her. She was looking up at a much taller boy in a similar outfit. His was a light grey in colour, with a small grey mask covering his face. Large antennae-like things covered his ears making them look peculiarly like rabbit ears and, over the small of his back, he had a small black pouch. He had one hand on Raven's head and was looking down at her fondly, half way through a lough.

"The Lucky rabbit's foot and the unlucky raven? Sounds familiar doesn't it?" Adrian joked taking the print out form Marinette, their finger momentarily touched, causing electricity to run up both their arms.

"They called themselves Bugz and Raven. They were a team. Totally inseparable when they appeared."

"So that urges the question." Sighed Adrien, handing Marinette the picture and looking her straight in the eyes. "Why didn't she mention him at all yesterday?"

"And where is he now?" Marinette added, reluctantly looking away from Adrien and down at the image. She didn't like Raven, she was certain of that but looking at the smiling girl in the photo it was almost impossible to say they were the same person.

Then her eyes lingered on Bugs.

What had happened to him?

 **And that's another one! So no action but I couldn't avoid it, it had to be written. I promise the next one will be more interesting. Thanks so much for reading! I hope you guys are liking the story and please review** **J** **I'll try update ASAP :D-LunaPendragon.**


	17. Chapter 17

_So I was right._

 _I told him they'd do the research, that they'd find out about him._

 _But he said it doesn't matter._

 _The situation is sensitive._

 _I'm running out of time._

 _Eli doesn't have much time._

 _He said we have just the right amount if I do this right._

 _It's up to me._

 _No pressure._

 _Eli's life depends on this._

"Raven I will send the trigger."

"Whatever. The sooner we do this the sooner you'll give me back Eli."

"If you don't fail."

Raven looked down at the man who had stolen Eli from her. How she wished she could slap him and wipe that horrid smile off his face. But, she knew she couldn't. Any harm made to him would pain Eli.

"When have I ever failed you?" she said taking a step forward and allowing the wind to catch her.

 _It would soon be over._

 _She was going to get Eli back._

"Alya!" Adrien called, waving his arms above his head.

Both girls turned in surprise. Marinette smiled up at him, over the last few days she had been seeing so much of him, she couldn't be more thrilled! Although, she could still feel her cheeks burn slightly when they spoke.

"Are you going to help Marinette with her algebra homework, _again_?" asked Alya, folding her arms and slightly pouting.

Alya was all for Marinette and Adrien hanging out but he was interrupting precocious best friend time and wouldn't be tolerated. She had to set up the rules while she could after all.

Marinette just rolled her eyes at her tone, if only she really knew what they were doing. They had been doing as much research as they could on the mysterious Raven and Bugs but they were coming up with one dead end after another. Their time togather was more spent yelling at computers then actually talking.

"Is everything ok?" she asked, seeing the boy's worried look.

"Eh… yeah I'm ok, but… I was wondering… do you mind if a talk to Alya a bit, alone? I'll catch up later, promise!" he sheepishly answered ruffling his own hair.

"oh!" was Marinette's initial response, taken slightly by shock. "Yeah of coarse."

She said farewell to her two friends and made her way home alone, her shoulder's slightly drooping.

"So, what's so important you couldn't say it in front of Marinette?" sighed Alya Impatiently crossing her arms and tapping her foot.

"Ah, actually I wanted to ask you something…"

"Well?" she said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"It's about when you turned into Lady Wi-Fi." His voice faltered.

"Ah, I was wondering when you'd ask me about that."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Nino told me you were asking around about that stuff for some reason."

"Ah, so you'll answer my questions?" he asked hopefully.

"Well I'll answer your questions if you answer mine."

"Oh… well… if I can." He muttered, already preparing to counter any accusations concerning Chat Noir.

"What do you think about Marinette?"

"Heh?" Adrien hadn't expected such a question. Why was Alya asking him that?

"It's a very simple question." She said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Ah well, she's a nice person." He sheepishly said. "But you know that, you two are best friends afterall..."

"It's nice that you acknowledge that." She half laughed but then her voice turned serious again. "No, I didn't mean it like that…how can I phrase this so you'd understand this… well, you two have been spending a lot of time together lately, haven't you?"

"Well I just recently realised that Marinette and the girl of my dreams are the same person, so would you blame me?" he thought but he said instead. "We're just friends helping each other out with homework."

"And that's it?"

"Yes." He lied.

" Fine." She sighed, dropping her folded arms. "What do you want to ask me?"

"Eh, yes." Adrien momentarily stumbled, trying to remember what he wanted to ask Alya. "Do you remember anything from being Lady Wi-Fi? Do you get nightmares about it? Anything?"

"That was more then one question but I'll answer. No, I don't remember anything from that night and I don't get any nightmares about it either. If it wasn't for the videos I'd say you guys were playing some cruel prank on me."

"I knew you'd say something like that." He sighed, as his shoulders slumped in disappointment. Nino and the others had told him the same thing. What was wrong with him? Why could he remember being Bad Luck so clearly? why could he still see that monster inside his head?

"The others told you the same thing, didn't the?"

Adrien just nodded his head, looking at his feet.

"Well I don't know _why_ you're asking but have you spoken to Chloe?"

"I've been trying to avoid asking her to be honest."

"Well, I've heard Sabrina say that Chloe has been a bit skittish since the day she became Exterminatra. She said she's been dreaming about it and I've heard her talk about it as if she's able to remember it."

"Chloe remembers being possessed?"

Alya shrugged, as Adrein's ringtone suddenly erupted from his pocket. "That's what I've heard anyway."

Alya eyed Adrien has he pulled out his phone. This boy was as much a mystery to her as he was too Marinette. She knew Marinette was heads over heels in love with him but Adrien was just a book she couldn't seem to be able to read. As the phone rang in his hand and Adrien read the caller ID his face brightened, making Alya smile fondly. The same light shone out of Marinette's when she saw Adrien. She wondered whose call would make him so happy.

"Marinnette?" He said as greeting. Alya smiled inwardly, that was all she needed to know. But Marinette's incomprehensive chatter interrupted his greeting. "Marinette breath, what happened?"

"Adrien, there's an Akuma attack in the park outside my house!" she yelled trough theher phone. Adrien could hear crashes and shrieks in the background. Where was Marinette? Was she safe? It sounded as if she were in the middle of it all!

"I'm on my way." He said quickly running the momentarily stunned Alya.

"Hey !" she called after him, but he just ignored her, he had to get to Marinette.

"Adrien, I can see Raven!" Marinette said, it sounded like she was standing outside her parents's confectionary, with a clear view of the park. "She just got knocked out of the sky! She needs our help!"

"Marinette don't do anything stupid until I get there."

"Adrien, I'm the cool and collected one, remember?" she half laughed before the line cut.

"Plagg, we have to hurry!" he panted as he began his transformation. He would make sure she's ok.

"I was wondering when you'd show up." Panted Raven, pointing her talons at the massive creature that loomed before them as Ladybug ran into the park. It was strange, like a giant purple scorpion. Its oversized pincers clicked mechanically in front of it, knocking down a nearby tree.

"What in the world got that thing's knickers in a twist?" gasped Ladybug, looking up at the monster in wonder.

"How am I supposed to know?" Hissed Raven, rolling her eyes. "I just found it like that!"

The scorpion turned its dark eyes down at the girls. "Miraculousss" it hissed, making the 's' sound long and continuous .

"I think we can make a good guess who sent it." Sighed Marinette, swinging her yoyo at the monster.

It was slow, as could be expected from it's size, it wasn't fast enough to bodge Ladybug's attack but as it staggered sideways, it's spidery legs crush a wooden bench under it's feet, sending shards flying into the air.

With a running start Raven jumped into the air, spiralling around the creature, often swooping down and slashing at the monster with her talons. The latter would try stand on it's rear legs to knock her out of the sky. It was too slow for even that.

 _I have to make this believable._

 _I don't have time for a show._

Raven swooped down, purposely breaking her decline broadly and extremely slowly. The Akuma thrashed with its pincers, the hard exoskeleton painfully colliding with the flying girl and, with a purposely-auditable scream, lended in a broken heap on the ground.

"Raven!" Yelled Ladybug, stopping from her quest to tie the monster's legs together. She could see the creature lifting its foot, ready to crush the girl. Even if she didn't trust her, Ladybug couldn't let that happen. She pulled her yoyo free, running in front of Raven and, with a calculated swing, she knocked the monster sidewayS.

But she wasn't fast enough.

her yoyo was still in mid-swing. One pincered hand clasped itself around her waist and lifted Ladybug to eye level.

"Miraculoussss." It hissed.

"Okay, I get that you want my earrings." Said Ladybug, squirming against the monster's iron grip.

She wondered if it could still understand her. Whatever the case, it had only one thing on its mind. With an ominous snapping sound, the Akuma victim brought its free pincer closer to Ladybug's face.

It would have chopped her head off. That was most probably the plan. But, like a hunting snake, something thick and green entwined itself around the pincer, stopping its advance.

It was ivy!

"See Adrien? Was that really that hard?" laughed Bad Luck.

 **I'm so so sorry I took so long to write this chapter! I had to rewrite 3 times to get it just right and with assignments piling up that wasn't an easy feat. But I hope it was worth the wait! Thanks so much for reading and I really hope you guys are liking the sotry :3 -LunaPendragon**


	18. Chapter 18

_It was working._

 _It would soon be over._

 _Eli would be free._

"Oh Adrien, I think you're looking a little green." Leered Bad Luck, kneeing in front of Chat Noir. The latter was lying on the cobblestone ground, panting and shivering as if suffering from a fever.

What had happened?

He was going to be too late.

Ladybug was in danger.

He wouldn't' have gotten there in time.

But how could Bad Luck be there, standing before him as clear as day?

"H-How are y-you here?" he panted, looking up at the Akuma. Was that an actual shadow looming over him?

But this had to be in his head…

"I already told you, little kitty, you can never got rid of me."

Had Bad Luck just ruffled his hair?

Was this just a game to him?

How?

It was so unnerving, hearing that monster speak with his own voice, looking down at him with his own face… with his own eyes.

"G-Go away." He spat, recoiling from the touch.

"Oh, I'm not going anywhere." Laughed Bad Luck. "I'm you now."

"No. No. No." Whispered Chat Noir, shutting his eyes. He could feel it. It was happening again.

Why?

"Chat Noir!" yelled Ladybug, kicking at her preoccupied captor, causing her to fall to the ground, only narrowly missing twisting her ankle. She could see him, curled up on the ground, shaking.

 _Where was Raven?_ She frantically thought as she ran towards him. _Why wasn't she already helping him?_

"Adr… Chat Noir!" she called, sprinting towards her collapsed companion. Something was horribly wrong. Even from this distance she could see it. his hair, she could make out strands of red spreading across it, his skin was a tinge of sickly green.

Was he transforming again?

Why?

How?

"Chat Noir!" she whispered, falling to her knees in front of him. She made to put her hands on his shaking shoulders but he recoiled from her touch, his eyes forced shut, murmuring something under his breath. The red of his hair was spreading, the green of his skin deepened.

Ladybug didn't care how it was happening but she wasn't going to let it happen again.

Never.

"Adrien." She whispered, gently putting a hand on his shoulder, but he jerked away.

"Oh, don't act so cold Adrien." Leered Bad Luck. "It's your precious Ladybug."

It seemed like too much force to open his eye, but he did. He was looking up at the bluest, most beautiful eyes he had ever seen.

"L-ladybug?" he whispered.

She let out a sigh of relief as she heard him say her name. Again she attempted to place a hand on his shoulder, this time he didn't move away.

"Oh isn't this a tender moment?" sneered Bad Luck, bending down and stroking Ladybug's cheek with the back of his hand but… the girl didn't even flinch. She didn't even acknowledge the monster's presence "It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside doesn't it."

"Y-you can't see him, can you?"

"Who?" she carefully asked as she noised the darkening of the red of his hair, making it more prominent.

"Bad Luck."

"Adrien you've got to fight it. I don't know what's happening but you can't let him take control again."

"I couldn't stop it last time."

Marinette gave him a small smile, then gently clutching his hand in her own she said. "I believe you can do this."

"Oh! Someone has some faith in you." laughed Bad Luck, twirling behind Ladybug.

"Shut up."

"What's that kitty? Did you say something?"

"Shut up, I'm not listening to you"

"That might be a bit hard, considering I'm inside your head."

"Get out then."

"Oh Adrien." Bad luck said in mock sympathy. "I can never leave. I'm your anger and disappointment towards your dad personified!"

"I'm human."

"I'm also your fear Adrien. Your fear of telling a certain speckled hero your feelings is one of many things that keep me here."

"I don't need you." he murmured, shakily pushing himself up into a sitting position. "I can deal with my own demons. I don't need you to taunt me with them."

Bad Luck momentarily gave him a quizzical look.

"It seems your right." He said, disappointed. "Your heart doesn't have enough darkness yet."

Adrien blinked and Bad Luck was gone, for now all he could see before him was ladybug.

"Marinette." He whispered, giving her a weak smile as the pink returned to his cheeks and the red of his hair was replaced with streaks of captured sunlight.

"Oh Adrien." She murmured, pulling him towards her. She hugged him so tight she dared anyone to try and steal him away from her again. "How many times do you have to do that? Green really isn't your colour."

Chat Noir couldn't help give a low chuckle, even if he couldn't see her face, he could hear the smile in her voice. If it were up to him he would never have let go of her there and then.

"Not that I'm complaining, but don't we have a giant scorpion to defeat?" reminded Chat.

"Nooooooooo!"

The sudden shriek that filled the air forced the two heroes to break their embrace.

An ominous beep filled the air.

"Noooooo!" shrieked Raven, staggering around the park and swiping the trees with her talons, leaving neat lines in the unsuspecting bark.

Ladybug helped the still groggy Chat to his feet, reluctantly he had to wrap his arm around her shoulders for support.

"Raven!" Marinette called. "Where did the Akuma go!? What happened?"

The young girl stopped her rampage turning to face Ladybug and Chat Noir. The fire that lit up her eyes was so fueled with rage, Ladybug wished she could take a step away.

"You!" she shrieked, stomping her way towards them, waving her taloned hands in front of her as she spoke. "This is all your fault! You shouldn't have stopped the transformation! I don't have time for your stupid games Ladybug, I needed him to change!"

"What!?" gasped Ladybug, narrowing her eyes a the girl.

"Raven where did the Akumo go?" Chat calmly said.

"Who cares!" she yelled at them, still waving her arms. "It's gone, returned to normal, probably scuttled away into a hole. Of coarse that's all you two care about! You selfish selfish fools! You're so stuck in your little bubble you're oblivious to the bigger picture! I've failed, he'll never give him back to me now!"

"Who? Bugs?" Asked Chat, finally dropping his arm from around Ladybug, remember all the research he had done on the Italian duo. Bugs had gone missing first, Raven vanished soon after.

"Who took him?" added Ladybug, taking a careful step towards the girl. She was still furious for causing Adrien so much trouble but, she was still a little girl.

Another beep.

"Hawk Moth!" she yelled. "Happy? Now you know! I work for Hawk Moth!"

"WHAT!?" Chat gasped in surprise.

"Why would you work for the same person who caused your village so much trouble?" pressed on Ladybug. She needed answers and she wouldn't accept anything but the truth from Raven now.

But with one final beep the silvery glow of a Miraculous transformation surrounded Raven and, within seconds, the masked girl was replaced by a small girl in a dark blue dress and with long curling hair the same shade of dark brown as her eyes.

Marinette had seen this girl before.

She was the girl who had been reading at the plaza the day she told Adrien about Raven and Bugs!

"Because!" she frantically yelled, waving her small hands in front of her, small tears running down her tanned cheeks. "He's my brother!"

 _Not for long now._

 _I've failed._

 **There you go! There's another one! Thanks so much for reading and I really hope you guys are liking the story so far :D feel free to review (they are always welcome) and I'll try update as soon as possible- LunaPendragon**


	19. Chapter 19

_I struggled at first._

 _I didn't have time to explain this to such naïve people. Because of them there was no turning back from my mistake._

 _Sigh_

 _They insist I must explain._

 _If you want to hear my story, don't interrupt._

 _Don't judge._

 _This is the truth._

 _I won't explain again._

 _My name is Giulia Bruno._

 _I'm 12 year old._

 _I have an older brother called Eli._

 _We are from Verona._

 _And this si the story of how Hawk Moth was created._

It has been three months since the Raven's Chain and the Hare's Pendant chose Eli and me. For those three months my brother and I protected the old streets of our hometown from monstrosities that are possessing stray animals, under the guise of Raven and Bugs of coarse. I had joked that Eli should take the name Bugs, after an old cartoon rabbit I used to love, I never thought he'd like the idea.

He was always such a joker.

It was a beautiful sunny day when everything went wrong.

I had been reading in the backyard. Eli was in his room, practicing the violin. He always loved to practice. He was playing 'Viva La Vida', I always loved that song. He was planning of playing it at my birthday in two days. He said it still wasn't ready but it sounded amazing to me. I was only half listening to the music though, I was too absorbed in my book.

It was the yelling that brought me back to reality. Our parents were yelling but that wasn't anything new. They liked to yell as much as I liked to read and Eli liked to play music. I often thought that was their hobby.

A glass inside crashed to the ground.

That wasn't new either.

"That's it!" my father yelled, I can hear a chair fall to the ground. " i'm tired of this Rozie! I can't live and pretend you aren't doing what you're doing!"

"Fine!" my mother shrieked from the kitchen. "Leave Roberto, we don't need you! Leave your key and don't even think of coming back!"

I lower my book.

This didn't sound like their average fight.

I run into the house just as I see my father turning the nob of the front door.

"Dad where are you going?!" I had asked in a small voice but my father roughly shoved me off without looking at me. I stumbled back, crashing into the hat stand that stood beside the door like some lone sentinel.

"Rozie..." he began turning to face me, his voice faltered as he saw my shocked face, I could feel the tears running down my face. "I'm so sorry Giulia!"

He extended a hand towards me but I slapped it away.

I didn't want to listen to his excuses. I ran out of the house, wishing he'd leave and never come back. No… I dared him to come back as I tripped over a broomstick that had been leaning against the yard fence, he would have to face Raven's talons.

Eli must have seen me running out from his window. He must have also seen the Akuma approaching.

It must have sensed me, drawn towards me by both the Miraculous Stone and my anger. That would have been the first time a human was possessed.

"Giulia!" my brother called from above as the Akuma merged with the stick at my feet. I didn't hear him, but I could hear the Akuma whispering for me to pick it up. It promised me power.

I would have said yes.

But my brother panicked. He jumped from the window, it wasn't high, he had jumped from higher as Bugs.

But he wasn't Bugs at that moment.

He sprained his ankle, but it was enough. His grasp was wider then mine he picked up the possessed item before me.

Before my tear-filled eyes I saw the darkness surround Eli.

Hawk Moth sat in his place.

I begged for Hawk Moth to release my brother, to take me instead like it had meant to be.

But I was too weak for him. He wanted my Miraculous, but not even trading that would get Eli back. The Akuma needed a host to be able to harness the powers of the Miraculous Stones.

Eli had provided that.

Affrad, my bird-like kwami, told to me to transform and protect the Miraculous Stone like I was meant to, my brother's was already lost.

But I couldn't.

I couldn't attack the monster because I would hurt my brother.

Instead, we made a deal.

He liked the fact that, even though I was small, I was strong. I could act deceitful and help steal the remaining Miraculous Stones. In payment, if we found a suitable replacement host, the Akuma would release my brother, of course after relieving me of my Miraculous Stone.

But I didn't care. I would have my brother back.

We struck a deal.

But of coarse, there were conditions. After five full moons, my brother's transformation would be perminant.

I was on a deadline.

Hawk Moth had me search for the other Miraculous Stones. Most had vanished from most datasets but I didn't have to find them all.

I just needed one.

That's how I found out about the Spiral of Luck being exhibited at the Louvre.

I went with him as that monster travelled to France.

I prayed someone would find it before us.

That would mean a new host would be available.

I never believed in luck, but as on the day Hawk Moth sent his first victim on a rampage in Paris to retrieve the stone, not one hero appeared, but two.

But... complications... occurred.

Hawk Moth didn't let me out of his sight until Bad Luck had been created.

I considered it lucky, it seemed that that victim was one of the holders of a Miraculous Stones.

I had offered to bring him to him, to allow the exchange of hosts to occur.

Time was running out.

I was getting desperate but, that's what he wanted.

Desperate people do desperate things.

He insisted that Bad Luck steal the two Miraculous Stones in Ladybug's possession.

His plans were foiled however, when Marinette defeated Bad Luck, freeing Adrian from the Akuma.

I thought all hope was lost but, one thing was in out favour. Ladybug had not performed Miraculous Cure, something my brother could also do. The Akuma still had a firm grasp on the boy's heart.

That's why Hawk Moth sent me.

If I could let the Akuma's grasp spread trough the boy again. he would become a viable replacement. He wasn't as powerful as Ladybug, she would have been the ideal host, but he was still more powerful then my brother and that's all I cared about.

That's why I did what I did.

Why I had hoped Adrien would be possessed once again as I planted the doubt of darkness in his mind.

But Ladybug foiled my plans again.

The plan didn't work.

Adrien was still free.

My brother was still under the Akuma's control.

"That's it." Giulia said, finally looking up from her hands. Affred nodded her dark blue head in encouragement as she hovered besides Giulia's head.

Marinette and Adrien stood before them, their transformation having long since vanished. The blood red sun illuminated their still froms, the sound of traffic filled the silence that followed her words.

"How much time is left?" whispered Marinette.

Adrien turned to look at her, he could practically see the gears turning inside her mind.

"until midnight today." Giulia answered solemnly.

"Well then, we better get to saving him shouldn't we?" concluded Adrien, shooting Giulia a reassuring smile as the Kwami and Marinette nodded their heads in agreement.

 **And that's another chapter :D thanks so much guys for being patient, I'm really sorry I couldn't update a quickly as I usually do, assignment are a bit haywire at the moment. But I hope you enjoyed the story! I'll update as soon as I can and thanks so much for reading. Reviews and comments will always be welcome hehehe ;) until next time- LunaPendragon.**


	20. Chapter 20

Chat Noir gave a low whistle as he looked up at the illuminated Notre-Dame cathedral. "You've got to be kidding me."

"It was a smart place for Hawk Moth to set up headquarters." Admitted Ladybug. "With the near constant presence of tourists flooding the cathedral on a daily basis, _I_ would have never thought of looking for him there."

"We don't have time to admire Hawk Moth's intelligence." Sighed Raven readjusting her wing straps and opening her arms in a flapping motion. "So everyone here is clear on the fact that Hawk Moth knows we are coming for him right?"

Both French heroes nodded their heads.

"We don't have much time left to save your brother, right?" asked Ladybug looking at the moon which was almost in line with river below them.

"You remember the plan right?"

"Raven relax." said Chat feigning a smile for both girls' sakes. "We're professionals, we know what we are doing.

"Okay, I'll give you two the signal when the coast is clear." And with a running start Raven leaped into the air, catching the wind with her wings and gracefully glided trough the night towards the church.

"I can't believe we are finally going to face off Hawk Moth." Ladybug nervously said, playing with her hands in anticipation.

Chat looked at the girl for a moment, it was times like this he could now see Marinette behind the mask. No… that wasn't right… he had learnt to see the hero behind Marinette's smile.

Chat, too, walked up to Ladybug nervously, the words Raven had said to him in prior to their arrival here echoed within his mind.

Hawk Moth was searching for a new host. Within his headquarters he would have to face Bad Luck one more time. If he lost this fight there would be no turning back. The problem was, he didn't know if he could fight that monster again but, as he saw Ladybug stop and give him a quizzical look, he knew he should tell her, this might be his only chance.

"What's wrong Chat?" she asked as the boy took one more step towards her so that he stood only mere inches in front of her. They stood so close, a simple flick of Ladybug's hand would have let her grab his hand with an ease too simple for words to explain. The thought caused her cheeks to flush. Chat Noir smiled down at her expression.

"My lady." He whispered savouring the words, this might be the last time he'd say them.

She exhaled. "Do you really think this is the time for that?" she teased, putting her hand on her hips and sending a quick glance in the cathedral's direction.

Still no signal from Raven.

"It's a bit important actually." Chat Noir ruffled his hair out of nervousness. "And I can only tell you this as Chat Noir."

Ladybug raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"Ladybug, I…I…I" he faltered, why was this so hard? She was standing so close to him, could he simply lean towards her and let his actions speak for him?

Chat Noir took a hesitant step towards Ladybug, who took a quick step back, her head turning towards the cathedral.

Yes, she had been right. A small-reflected light was flickering from the closest bell tower. It was the signal from Raven.

"The coast is clear." Ladybug said already swinging her yoyo. "We can finally meet Hawk Moth."

Chat Noir gave a half-hearted nod as he brought out his staff. He had wasted the little time he had left…

"Hey Chat," Said Ladybug as she threw her yoyo. "When this is all over, don't forget to tell me whatever you were trying to say, okay?"

And with that she swung elegantly towards the bell tower. With a frustrated sigh Chat Noir made a similar journey, which involved more climbing and less swinging though.

"He's in one of the side rooms of the upper cathedral levels." Explained Raven as she lead Chat noir and Ladybug down the tower. "That's where he and his Akuma stay."

They came to a stop outside a plain wooden door they probably had passed thousands of times as children with giving it a second thought.

"Ready?" said Raven as she carefully put her hand on the doorknob.

"There's no turning back now." sighed Chat Noir as the younger girl forced the door open. Carefully, the trio walked into the dark room, even with Chat's night vision they couldn't see anything.

However, once all three of them had walked into the dark room, from some unknown source, a blinding light illuminated the room and the door closed behind them. They didn't bother try it. They all knew it would be locked.

"Well, well I always thought keeping you alive would benefit me, Raven." Ladybug was momentarily shocked by the voice, it was more human then she had expected. Chat Noir, on the other hand, gave a low hiss. This had been the alluring voice he had heard as Bad Luck.

Then a cloud of Akuma filled the room and in a flurry of white moths Hawk Moth appeared before them. As he walked towards them all eyes fell on the staff in his hands that he used as a walking stick. Strangely, he had a slight limp, was that from when Eli had been injured to save Giulia?

"It's so nice for you all to have delivered the Miraculous Stones in person. So much more tasteful then sending a monster to pick them up, don't you think?"

"You're not getting the stones." Ladybug calmly said, already swinging her yoyo in anticipation.

"We came to get Eli back!" Raven called, bringing her talons to eye level.

"Oh really?" laughed Hawk Moth. "I'm so glad you brought my replacement with you then."

"Replacement?" Ladybug's voice trailed off as she gave Chat Noir a worried look.

The latter sighed as the cloud of Akuma formed a hurricane in front of them before merging into an all to familiar figure of Bad Luck.

"You are like an irritating itch I can't reach." Complained Chat Noir, pointing his staff at the Akuma.

Bad Luck gave Chat an evil grin.

"It seems you know rules of this fight already, Adrien."

"Let's settle this once and for all."

Ladybug made to take a step towards Chat but he only shook his head. "Focus on Hawk Moth, Ladybug. Stop him once and for all, I can deal with this one."

"Meow!" laughed Bad luck making a clawing motion with one hand. "Kitty's finally sharpened his claws."

And without another word the two boys charged at each other.

"Don't worry about Chat." Raven reassured as Hawk Moth walked in the girls' direction. "He can handle Bad Luck."

And, yelling something in Italian Raven charged at the man.

Ladybug hoped she was right.

 **Hey guys I'm so sorry I'm taking so long to update these days. I'm so so sorry but the story is soon coming to an end, a chapter or two and it will be all over :3 I hope you guys liked the chapter and that the story isn't getting too long and dragging :3 thanks so much!-LunaPendragon**


	21. Chapter 21

He knew something was wrong. With each blow Chat Noir directed at Bad Luck the wider the latter's grin became. With each clash of staffs the more it seamed that Chat Noir could feel the energy being sapped out of him.

But how could that be?

He had to admit the fight was pretty draining. Apart from fighting Bad Luck he was constantly being showered with rather aggressive Akuma that fluttered over him in black waves, obscuring his view. After a particularly rough wave Chat just narrowly blocked Bad Luck's attack, blocking the rose shaped staff with his claws.

"I'm getting really tired of this." He panted as Bad Luck just grinned at him.

"Oh Kitty," Bad Luck sneered. "This will soon be over."

"It sure will," Answered chat destroying bad luck's staff using Cataclysm. Watching with slight satisfaction as the tormental objected disintegrated before his eyes.

Where Ladybug and Raven fought against Hawk Moth wasn't much better. Although the latter had an obvious limp, he did not let it get in his way. With expert ease Hawk Moth simultaneously dodged Ladybug's yoyo as well as blocked Raven's talons.

"You two make quite an interesting pair." Observed Hawk Moth as he danced around Raven and smacked her in the back with his walking stick.

"We don't have time for you." She growled as she staggered forward, falling on all fours and only narrowly rolling out of the way as Hawk Moth made a jab at her head.

"The goal oriented bird who is unable to fly freely without someone else's help."

Raven, getting to her feet, growled something in Italian and made to run towards the man but Ladybug gripped her shoulder, halting the young girl's rage filled advance.

"Raven don't let him provoke you." Ladybug said, sounding calmer then she felt as she wrecked her brain as to how they could win this.

"Oh the lovely Ladybug," Hawk Moth continued. "Taking a couple of casual steps towards the girls, who both stood their ground. "So cool and brave you truly play your part of hero. But," he stopped and pointed his staff at Ladybug. "Would the world still look to you to protect it if they know you were really the shy and cowardly Marinette? So frighten she can't even express her feelings…" Then casually continuing on his rant he swung his staff in Chat Noir's direction, who was stull busy fighting Bad Luck. "For a boy who hides his sorrows behind a smile so beautiful that he fools also himself?"

"Don't talk about him as if you actually understand him." Hissed Ladybug, running past the raging Raven and swung her yoyo Hawk Moth. The latter calmly blocked it with his staff as the yoyo swung itself around it, entangling itself.

"Oh Ladybug you would have made such a fine host." Sighed Hawk Moth, disappointedly. "But Chat Noir will have to do for now. Who knows, I could come for you next time."

"You're not going to even get Chat _this_ time." She hissed at him.

"You don't get much of a say on the matter actually." Hawk Moth laughed. "I need a stronger host."

And just at that moment the bell began to ring.

 _Doing_

A gasp of surprise erupted from Chat Noir's direction as Bad Luck caught him in a Head Lock so tight that the masked Hero couldn't move. Hawk Moth gave a triumphant lough as his stuff gave a deep purple glow that soon spread out across his body.

 _Doing._

His laugher faded with the light and to Ladybug's shocked dismay a hideous black Akuma like none she had never seen before fluttered into the air. A body crumpled to the ground in front of her.

 _Doing_

Raven made a gasp of shock. Her Miracolous made a near silent beep as she made, as if in slow motion, to run in Ladybug's direction. Ladybug's eyes followed the black butterfly for a second as it began to flutter in the boys's direction.

No.

She would let anything more happed to Adrien.

 _Doing_

Chat watched as the black Akuma made it's irregular journey, flattering up and down, in his direction. He increased his struggles but Bad Luck's grip felt like iron. He didn't have enough energy to fight it off.

Or enough time.

His ring gave it's third warning beep.

It didn't matter now, when the clock struck it's last chime he would be no more and he felt so frustrated because no matter how much he had fought he had lost.

 _Doing_

Chat's eyes opened wide in surprise as his vision of the Akuma was blocked by a familiar figure he had sketched so many months ago. Ladybug opened her arms and stared up at the Akuma, daring it to take Adrein away from her away.

She wouldn't let that happen again.

He had protected her so many times, it was her turn now.

 _Doing_

The Akuma silently landed on her mask. She made no move as it merged with it. It felt horrifying as she felt an unfamiliar darkness emerge from the pith of her stomach. She could feel it spreading across her body like some bizarre frost. Bad Luck at that moment vanished, causing Chat Noir to stumble forward.

 _Doing._

No.

This couldn't be happening.

Why had she done that?

The Akuma was meant to possess _him_.

Why had she stopped it?

Why had she saved him?

 _Doing_

Ladybug fell to her knees as if in sudden pain, supporting herself up solely by her arms. She was panting heavily as the darkness began to creep around her.

"Marinette!" yelled Chat Noir as he saw her fall and ran until he was kneeling besides her.

 _Doing_

His ring beeped again.

"Marinette why did you do that!?" he yelled.

Why?

Why had she saved him?

How could he have let her do that?

 _Doing_

"It was my turn to protect you." she weakly whispered as she looked up at him. Those eyes, he couldn't bare to see them so sad. He wished he could make her smile, so he could see the cosmos captured within then once again. Instead they slowly closed.

He felt his hands reach up to cup her face within them.

 _Doing_

He kissed her.

He let that kiss say what he had been feeling for all this time. He wanted to tell her with that one motion what he couldn't get words to express. He had to let her know he would always be there for her, no matter what happened to either of them.

He would always love her no matter what happened.

 _Doing_

The Akuma emerged from the mask as it vanished. The Akuma itself disappeared into the shadows, it strived on darkness and rotten emotions it could never possess someone with emotions so pure and sincere. Almost in sync, the two heroes lost transformation but neither one cared at that point, the whole world could have seen them but for those few seconds, their world only consisted of Adrien and Marinette.

It was Adrien who broke the kiss, breathless. Marinette had her eyes still closed as the Akuma's effect continued seep away from her, she could feel warmth began to spread across her body once again. Adrein's heart was pounding, the blood was rushing so much he was almost deafening.

"Adrien…?" their was a question in her whispered voice. Had that just happened or had just been a dream induced by the Akuma?

"Marinette don't open you eyes, please." Adrein begged as her eyes made a tired attempt to open. He couldn't say this with her looking at him with her eyes of frozen night. Let her think he still was in the guise of Chat Noir, at least for a few more seconds.

"What just…."

"Marinette you remember before all this happened I had to tell you something?" he took a deep breath. It was now or never. "I'm going to tell you this now before life decides to throw some piano on my head again. I love you! I know you might not feel the same but I love you, both as Marinette and Ladybug. I totally understand if you don't have the same feelings for me…" and with that Adrien fell into a nervous rant.

Marinette at first knelt there with her eyes closed, letting Adrein's words wash over her.

Could this be true?

Slowly she opened her eyes and saw sincere nervousness on his face as he looked at his hands alternatively as he spoke of the pros and cons of him liking her.

There was something else in his eyes.

Was he so scared of her answer?

She gave a low giggle, making Adrien stop what he was saying and force himself to look up at her.

"You silly cat." She laughed. "Of coarse I love you too."

"Really?!" laughed Adrian not believing his ears.

She nodded her head.

He jumped to his feet in excitement, pulling Marinette up with him but she was wary on her feet which caused her to fall forwards but he caught her in his strong arms.

Regaining her balance Marinette looked up at Adrien, she had _never_ seen him so happy.

"Are you alright?" His concern dampening the mood slightly.

Nervously she put her arms around his neck. How long had she dreamt of this moment?

She leaned towards him and kissed him, momentarily shocking him and herself, before he kissed her back.

"Raven don't interrupt them. We've been waiting for ages for this to happen."

"Yeah let them have their moment."

The two teenagers broke the kiss with an awkward lough, they hadn't been expecting an audience.

"Tikki!" laughed Marinette, finally lowering her hands.

"Way to kill a moment, Plagg." Laughed Adrien, naturally draping a hand over Marinette's slender shoulders and making her blush.

Before them stood Giulia and Eli, both of which their transformations had come undone. Eli was probably taller then Adrian and, standing behind Giulia with four tiny Kwami hovering around, them he looked like a giant with tanned skin and large brown eyes the same shade as Giulia's. He gave the two an apologetic look as Giulia walked towards them her thorn dress fluttered around her knees. She had her arms crossed in front of her.

"If you to are done." She said crossly but, suddenly, her face broke into a broad smile and, for the first time since they had met, she actually looked like a real 12 year old.

"Thank you for saving my brother!" she practically cried as she ran the small distance towards them and hugged Adrien and Marinette with her small arms.

Adrien patted her scruffy brown hair fondly and looking at Marinette said. "Any time Giulia."

"I think we'll be seeing a lot of each other for while, too." Added Marinette as she nodded her head at Eli before collecting the small Giulia into a tight embrace.

She then looked up at Adrien, smiling up at him. He smiled down at her as he saw the stars in her eyes once again.

 **There you go! That's the final chapter! It's a bit long but I didn't want to keep you all waiting. Thanks so much for reading and sticking with the story to the end. I genuinely hope you all enjoyed it and I thank you all so much for the wonderful comments. I might someday write another Miraculous Ladybug fanfic but… who knows it was so much fun writing about these two characters. Thanks again so much for everything and HAPPY HOLIDAYS! – LunaPendragon**


End file.
